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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28998642">The Newest Salvatore</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SEG21/pseuds/SEG21'>SEG21</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Angst, Blood and Injury, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Developing Relationship, Elena Gilbert Bashing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Protective Damon Salvatore, Protective Elijah Mikaelson, Protective Klaus Mikaelson, Protective Stefan Salvatore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:00:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>93,451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28998642</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SEG21/pseuds/SEG21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Damon Salvatore discovers a frail, injured child in the woods, he takes it upon himself to raise her, with help from his brother and their friends, with the exception of jealous, Elena Gilbert. The little girl brings new meaning, purpose and humanity into their lives, and the Salvatores and Mikaelsons do everything in their power to protect her. <br/>Little do they know, the immense power the young girl has within her, nor the trials and danger this will put her in. <br/>Will she be able to defeat the greatest enemies the supernatural world has ever faced, and will she single handedly be able to save all of those she loves? Or will it bring about her end, and the Salvatore brothers' descent back into the monsters she changed them from...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caroline Forbes/Stefan Salvatore, Hayley Marshall/Elijah Mikaelson, Klaus Mikaelson/Camille O'Connell, Lexi Branson/Damon Salvatore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Vampire Diaries, The Vampire Diaries Fanfiction, The Vampire Diaries/The Originals prompts</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was awakened by the small alarm clock next to her head. Turning it off, she sighed, knowing that yet another day was about to begin. She got onto her feet feeling tired and achy. It was cold, and she wondered if she dared ask for another blanket. The only one she currently had served both as mattress and covers, and the cold seeped through the floorboards and into her bones. </p><p>It was 5.30am, and she silently got dressed and prepared for the long day ahead. She tiptoed into the kitchen at 6am, and started preparing lunches for the girls to take with them to school. By 6.30, should could hear the rest of the household stirring, getting up slowly, safe in the knowledge that a hot breakfast would be waiting for them. </p><p>Sure enough, by 7am, the family were sat at the austere wooden table in the dining room, waiting for their breakfast to be brought to them. ‘Hurry up!’ came a harsh shout in her direction. She began to carry the plates through, her small arms burning against the scolding porcelain. The family required the plates to be warm when served to them. By the time she’d made a few trips back and forth from the kitchen with all the food, the complaints had started. ‘Come here.’ Snapped the woman and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her towards her. She pointed accusingly at the food. ‘You dare to serve us the same breakfast again this week.’ The girl began to shake and replied quietly, ‘but I asked yesterday if you wanted something different you said…’ before she was stopped by a stinging slap across her face. ‘Do not answer back.’ Said the woman. ‘Get out.’ She thrust the small girl away from her, and she scrambled back into the relative warmth of the kitchen, cradling her already bruised cheek and split lip. </p><p>She looked up at the leftover food around the kitchen that she was yet to tidy away. Dare she sneak some for herself? She was so very hungry, and it had been so long since she was last permitted to eat. She reached tentatively towards a single bread roll. Just as her fingers closed around it, she was horrified to see the woman standing in the doorway. ‘How dare you’ seethed the woman. ‘You dare steal from me, after all I’ve done for you.’ If the girl wasn’t so frightened, she’d had laughed at the irony. ‘Get out.’ Shouted the woman. The girl hesitated, just for second. It was enough time for the woman to grab and empty glass bottle and throw it at her. The bottle impacted with the girls head, and her vision exploded into a world of white and stars. The woman leaned over her, ‘you need to leave. If I ever catch you near my house again, I will kill you’ she whispered. The girl pulled herself onto her feet, not able to see where she was going through the blood pouring down her face, and stumbled to the back door in the kitchen. From there, she traipsed through the snow, her feet so numb from the cold that she couldn’t feel them anymore. </p><p>She walked for what felt like hours, seeing the trail of blood follow her through the snow. She wasn’t sure where she was anymore, and eventually, overcome with exhaustion, she sunk down into the snow against a tree, and quickly let unconsciousness take over her frail body.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Damon Salvatore was walking through the woods, enjoying the snow and reminiscing back to the year 1901, when the snow had been equally beautiful. Something else caught his attention suddenly, a smell cutting through the cold, crisp air. Blood. He followed the scent for some way, knowing he was getting closer as the smell got stronger. He was shocked to find a small child, huddled into a tree, with blood all over her head and ragged blue dress. If it weren’t for the quiet patter of her heart beat, and the quick, shallow sounds of her breathing, Damon would have honestly thought she was dead. Her skin had an unhealthy, grey tinge to it, and her lips and fingers were blue from the cold. Damon sped towards her and threw  himself to his knees in front of her. He took his coat off and wrapped the child in it, trying to coax some warmth into her. He stood up, looking around for any sign of where she might have come from. Finding nothing, he put one arm under her shoulders, the other under her knees, and he lifted her as if she were as light as a feather. In fact, she was, and that worried Damon, although he wasn’t sure why he cared so much for this unknown child. She was so small, he mused, that he could hold her with just one arm, if he’d had to. Holding her tightly to his chest, he focused on the gentle thump of her tiny heartbeat, and sped back to the mansion. </p><p>Arriving back, Damon immediately placed her on a sofa by the fire. ‘Stefan!’ he shouted for his brother, who arrived into the room presently. ‘What’s going on, brother?’ he asked, before catching sight of the unconscious child on the sofa. ‘Oh my God, Damon. What did you do?’ Damon was bent over the child, trying to get her to wake up. He waved one of his hands dismissively at Stefan. ‘I didn’t do anything, you idiot. I found her in the woods. Go get a cloth and some warm water. I need to clean her head to see how badly she’s injured.’ Stefan sped off without another word and reappeared almost immediately, crouching carefully next to Damon in front of the girl. The brothers gently cleaned the blood away from her face and body, and were horrified to find her tiny limbs marred with scars and burn marks. Her head had a particularly nasty cut which although no longer bleeding, looked to be threatening to restart at any minute. ‘What’s happened to her?’ breathed Stefan. Damon didn’t look away from the tiny figure on his sofa. ‘She’s been unconscious since I found her.’ He said. ‘She must have passed out from blood loss or the cold?’ </p><p>Just then, the girl’s eyelids began to flutter,  and the brothers were met with two, large, scared green eyes. They instantly filled with tears as the girl began to panic at the unfamiliar situation and two strange men looking at her. She made to get up but Damon gently pressed her back. The small movement seemed to be too much for her, and she fell back unconscious once again. ‘I’m going to take her upstairs to bed, Stefan.’ Said Damon. ‘When she wakes, I’ll give her some blood to help her heal. I can’t let her suffer.’ Stefan nodded, but expressed worry at giving a child vampire blood. There was no way they could let her become a vampire so young. ‘Well, we will just have to keep her alive, brother. How hard could it be?’ retorted Damon, already picking the girl up. He sped carefully upstairs and laid her on a large, comfortable bed in one of the spare rooms. He tucked the covers carefully around her, and pulling up a chair to the side of the bed, took one of her tiny hands in his and stroked it gently, waiting for her to wake.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was morning before the child awoke. Damon noticed a shift in her breathing, as it became shallow and panicky. She couldn’t work out where she was or how she got there. In an instant, Damon was stroking her cheek gently. ‘Hello, little lady’ he whispered gently, so as not to frighten her. ‘You’re safe here. I’m not going to hurt you.’ He felt her relax slightly and her large eyes seemed to lose some of their panic. ‘What’s your name?’ he asked. She replied, too weak to speak much louder than a whisper. ‘Ottilie…’ He smiled. A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl. ‘I’m Damon,’ he said, ‘and I’m going to look after you. Is that okay?’ She nodded weakly. ‘I’m going to go and get you some food. You don’t look like you’ve eaten in a while. I’ll be right back, okay?’ She’d closed her eyes again but he just about caught it. ‘Thank you, Mr Damon…’. </p><p>He sped down to the kitchen and found Stefan sitting at the table, sipping at a blood bag. ‘She’s awake?’ he said, standing. Damon nodded.<br/>‘I need to make her some food. She’s so weak.’ Stefan sprung into action, mustering up pancakes with honey and fruit, and a big glass of orange juice. ‘This should get her blood sugars up.’ He said. Damon took the glass, and biting his wrist, let a few drops of blood fall into it. ‘It’s just a little,’ he said. ‘It should be enough just to speed up her healing.’ Stefan nodded. ‘Do you want to come and meet her properly?’ asked Damon. Stefan looked hesitantly at him. ‘As long as I don’t scare her.’ He said. </p><p>The brothers made their way up to the room where the girl was resting. ‘Ottilie,’ called Damon, wanting to alert her to his presence in case she was still frightened. ‘I’m bringing you some food now. I’d also like you to meet my brother.’ They walked into her room and she looked carefully at them both, her eyes round at the sight of the food. Stefan took the tray from Damon as he carefully sat the girl up, propping her up on the mountains of pillows on the bed. ‘Hi, I’m Stefan.’ He said. Ottilie smiled at him shyly, but didn’t say anything. <br/>‘Right then, little lady’ said Damon. ‘We weren’t sure what you’d like to eat but Stefan has made you pancakes. Is that okay?’ Her mouth formed a shocked ‘o’ as she realised that the food was intended for her. ‘I’m allowed to eat it?’ she whispered. Damon frowned and she shrunk back into the pillows. ‘Of course you’re allowed to eat it, Ottilie. I’d like you to eat as much of it as you can please.’ Ottilie nodded carefully. <br/>‘Yes, Mr Damon. Thank you’ she said quietly. Stefan took a step forwards and knelt next to the bed. ‘Ottilie, why do you think you’re not allowed to eat it?’ he asked gently. She shrugged, eyeing the enormous stack of pancakes. ‘I’m not allowed to eat unless all the work is done, and only then if it’s done right. I haven’t been very good at it lately.’ The brothers exchanged looks. ‘When was the last time you ate, Ottilie?’ asked Damon. She looked thoughtful. ‘What day is it today?’ she asked. <br/>‘It’s Thursday’ said Damon, through gritted teeth. This didn’t sound like it was going to lead to an answer he was happy with. ‘Then Monday, Mr Damon. I snuck some food from the kitchen when nobody was watching. I’m really sorry, please, please don’t tell her. She’ll be so angry and then she’ll…’ the girl trailed off, her big eyes now full of tears. Stefan pulled her into his arms, holding her close as her panic filled sobs wracked her tiny body. ‘We won’t tell anybody, you’re safe. You’re safe here’ he soothed, stroking her hair gently. She began to relax. ‘Right, come on. These pancakes aren’t going to eat themselves!’ joked Damon gently and put Ottilie back into bed, handing her the plate. She dove in, relishing every mouthful. ‘Thank you, Mr Stefan and Mr Damon. They were so wonderful. I’m so sorry but I can’t finish them’ she said, almost sadly. Damon chuckled,<br/>‘Don’t worry, I’m sure Stefan will manage them. Here’s your juice. Drink up!’ She took the large glass and took a sip, her nose crinkling at the unusual taste. ‘It’s special juice’ said Damon quickly. She smiled and managed to finish the whole glass. By the time she’d finished it, Damon could already see the large cut on her head begin to heal, and the burns and scars were starting to fade slightly. She relaxed back into the pillows, full for the first time in a long time and sighed contentedly. Damon ruffled her hair gently. ‘Brother,’ he said, ‘I think we should call Caroline. The little lady here is going to need some clothes.’ Stefan smiled. ‘I’ll text her now!’ he said.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Caroline arrived quickly, having received the text ‘We need your help, Stefan.’ She burst into the kitchen. ‘What’s wrong?’ she almost shouted. ‘What’s happened?’ Ottilie hid behind Damon’s legs. Caroline caught sight of her, and her worried expression melted into a huge smile. ‘Oh my God, hi!’ she cooed. The small girl peeped her head from behind Damon to appraise the new person in the room. ‘Caroline, this is Ottilie. Ottilie, this is Caroline. She’s a friend’ said Damon. Caroline got onto the same level as the girl and smiled at her.<br/>
‘Hi Ottilie. It’s really nice to meet you!’ The girl smiled at her, but said nothing. Standing back up, Caroline turned to Stefan and Damon. ‘What is she doing here? Did you hurt her?’ The brothers explained to her that Damon had found her, injured in the woods and that they’d brought her back to look after her. ‘Caroline, can you take her for a bath?’ asked Damon. ‘It didn’t seem appropriate for Stefan or I to assist her. We cleaned the blood off her as best we could but now that she’s healed, she might enjoy a bath.’ Caroline nodded and held her hand out to Ottilie, who looked up at Damon. ‘Go on, little lady.’ He said, reassuringly. </p><p>Caroline took the small girl upstairs to Damon’s bathroom, where she knew there was a huge bath. Having filled it and taken the large t shirt that she assumed must be Damon or Stefan’s off the girl, she lifted her gently into the bath and began to gently clean her skin, starting with her back. She was saddened to notice long, pale scars lining her pale skin and wondered what had happened to the girl. She worked over her arms, noticing more and more marks and finally got to her chest and shoulders. She gasped in shock, but Ottilie didn’t seem to notice. ‘Ottilie, sweetheart. I just neeed to go and talk to Damon and Stefan. Will you be okay here for a few minutes?’ The small girl nodded, distracted by the mountain of bubbles that Caroline had made for her. Caroline sped off downstairs and found the brothers drinking coffee, and discussing Ottilie. ‘Guys,’ she spoke softly. ‘Ottilie has a huge scar on her chest. It looks like she’s had heart surgery in the past. It reminds me of my dad’s scar from when he had his.’ Damon and Stefan exchanged glances.<br/>
‘We haven’t seen it. Shall we ask her about it?’ suggested Stefan. Caroline looked unsure.<br/>
‘I don’t want to make her feel self-conscious about it. Why don’t we let her tell us if she wants to? We don’t seem to know anything about her yet. I guess it’s just something to be aware of.’ Said Damon. They all agreed to leave it for the time being, and Caroline went back upstairs to finish bathing Ottilie. </p><p>In a few minutes, was lead back downstairs by Caroline. Her skin was now looking pink and healthy, and her hair was clean and bouncing into curls at the ends. She ran to Damon who picked her up and held her. ‘Well little lady,’ he said. ‘you look squeaky clean!’ she giggled into his neck. ‘I put her in another of your t shirts’ said Caroline. He nodded, noting how it was so big on her that it was like a dress, falling way past her knees. ‘Do you think you could take Ottilie shopping?’ he asked Caroline, who gasped and put her hands to her face in excitement. ‘Oh my gosh, yes! Do you want to go, Ottilie?’ she asked, who nodded, smiling. Damon handed the small girl to Caroline and whispered to her, ‘just let me know how much I owe you, okay? And can you take her for lunch? I want to make sure she’s eating often.’ Caroline promised and left with Ottilie, leaving the brothers to think about what to do with Ottilie. </p><p>The girls returned later that afternoon with Ottilie running straight into the house calling for ‘Mr Stefan, Mr Damon!’ who appeared promptly.<br/>
‘Did you have a nice time, Ottilie?’ asked Stefan, who gently lifted her into his arms for a hug. She nodded, grinning at him. ‘She’s fully kitted out now! And we had a lovely lunch together, didn’t we Ottilie?’ said Caroline to the brothers, carrying in some bags of clothing. ‘She’s so precious’ she whispered, so that only Damon and Stefan would hear. They smiled at that. ‘Mr Stefan, Mr Damon?’ Ottilie said, ‘Please may I show you what we got?’ The two man laughed, and obliged the excited little girl, who proceeded to show them the lovely outfits that Caroline and her had picked out together. She’d never seen so many beautiful things, let alone been allowed to own and wear them. Suddenly, she realised that they’d come at a price, and she stopped her happy chattering. ‘Mr Damon, what do you need me to do to pay for these clothes?’ she asked quietly. ‘I don’t have any money, but I can cook and clean. That’s what I did before? And I don’t eat much?’ Damon looked down at her and crouched to be on her level. Taking her hands, he looked into her eyes and spoke softly. ‘Ottilie, you have nothing to repay. Stefan and I have talked about it, and we’d very much like for you to stay with us while we find out where you came from. You don’t have to work for us, you’re our little guest. Is that okay with you?’ Tears sprung to her large green eyes and she wrapped her little arms tightly around him. ‘Thank you, Mr Damon.’ He returned her hug. ‘Just Damon will do, little lady. None of this Mr, please!’ She giggled softly into his neck. </p><p>The rest of the afternoon was spend unpacking Ottilie’s new wardrobe into the room that had been adopted as hers. It was small and cosy, with a huge bed and she was overwhelmed at its luxury. Later that evening, she sat colouring whilst Damon and Stefan prepared dinner. ‘Ottilie, is it okay with you if we ask you some questions?’ asked Damon. She nodded, concentrating on her colouring. ‘How old you are?’ asked Stefan. She thought for a moment. ‘I’m 10, I think.’ She said. ‘No one was sure when I asked them, but I was living in my last place for at least 7 years.’ She added. The brothers took a moment to absorb this. She was so tiny, they had been sure she was about 7. ‘Where was your last place?’ asked Stefan. Ottilie froze, her colouring ceased. ‘It’s okay,’ said Stefan hurriedly, ‘you can tell us everything you want to, and leave out bits you don’t. You’re safe.’ She nodded slightly. ‘I was living with this lady. She picked me up from the place where you go when you don’t have a mum or dad anymore. She said that I’d been bad and that’s why I lived there. But if I worked hard when I lived with her, I wouldn’t be bad anymore.’ Stefan looked way, unable to believe that someone would say that to a child who couldn’t have been more than 3 at the time. Damon pressed on. ‘Was she kind to you?’ he asked. Ottilie shook her head.<br/>
‘Not really. She hurt me if I didn’t do the work properly. And I wasn’t allowed to eat very much. She said I didn’t deserve it. I looked after the house for them when I was old enough, and she said it was payment for her looking after me when I was younger. I cooked, cleaned and did the jobs they asked me to.’ Her eyes suddenly widened in horror. ‘You want to know where I came from so you can send me back, don’t you?’ she whispered, aghast. ‘Please, please don’t send me back. I’ll go anywhere, do anything, but please, not there. She’ll kill me.’ Stefan looked like he was going to be sick, and Damon found himself swallowing thickly, trying to stop the tears from springing to his eyes. He was surprised at how protective he felt over this tiny human, with her beautiful big eyes, sprinkling of freckles and long, curling hair. ‘Ottilie,’ he whispered. ‘I promise you, you are never, ever, going back there. You’re going to stay here with us for as long as you want to.’ Her shoulders began to shake and she began to sob in relief. ‘Thank you, Mr Damon. Thank you, Mr Stefan. I promise, I’ll be good.’ She whispered. Stefan bundled her into his arms and held her whilst she cried, wiping a stray tear of his own away. He looked up to see Damon doing the same. ‘Now, Ottilie.’ He teased softly. ‘What did Damon say about calling us “Mr”?’ She peeled her face away from him and smiled weakly. ‘Sorry Stefan.’ She whispered, giggling, before returning to the hug.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day, Damon went to wake Ottilie. He wanted to introduce her to his and Stefan’s friends that day, now that she was comfortable with them. He quietly opened her bedroom door and was shocked to see her lying on the floor by the bed. He ran over to her and gently picked her up, fearing she was ill or injured. He tapped her face lightly, ‘Ottilie,’ he called gently, ‘Ottilie, sweetheart, can you hear me?’ Her eyes fluttered open and her face morphed into a big smile. <br/>‘Damon!’ she said, happily. Damon sighed in relief. She was fine.<br/>‘What are you doing on the floor?’ he asked, exasperated. She looked up at him, still cradled in his arms. ‘I’ve never properly had a bed, and I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to sleep in it. Sorry, Damon’ she whispered. He saw her bottom lip begin to tremble and he stood up, still carrying her. ‘This is your bed,’ he said teasingly, ‘and you’ll sleep in it every night. Do you understand?’ she nodded, still looking to be on the edge of tears. She seemed to be trying to work out if she was in trouble. He playfully tipped her out of his arms and onto the soft bed and she sprung back up. ‘Come on then!’ he said, joining her on the bed. He began bouncing and she slowly joined in. </p><p>That’s how Stefan found them 10 minutes later, in hysterical laughter, bouncing on the bed. ‘Hey!’ he said. ‘Why wasn’t I invited?’ He pretended to pout, but then had to suddenly catch Ottilie as she launched herself into his arms. ‘Sorry, Stefan!’ she said. He smiled at her. <br/>‘I’m only teasing, Otti,’ he said. ‘Come on, I’ve made you some breakfast.’ Her face lit up and she looked back at Damon. ‘I’ll follow you down’ he said, smiling.</p><p>Ottilie had finished her breakfast, which Damon noted approvingly, she’d managed most of, and was sat in front of the fire reading a book that Stefan had found for her. The doorbell rang and Stefan went to open it. ‘Elena!’ he said, surprised to see her. She didn’t look best pleased. ‘Stefan, are you okay? I’ve not heard from you for days!’ she said. <br/>‘Yes I’m fine, come on in, Elena. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.’ He said, leading her into the room where Ottilie was sat. As soon as she heard the new voice, she’d scurried off to hide behind the sofa. ‘Otti?’ called Stefan. She crept out, still holding the book. ‘Otti, there you are. Come and meet my girlfriend, Elena.’ She hesitantly moved towards the two adults. ‘Elena, this is Ottilie. Damon found her in the woods a couple of days ago and she’s staying with us.’ Elena looked shocked and looked down at the small girl in front of her.<br/>‘So this is why I haven’t heard from you?’ she said. Stefan looked a little taken aback. <br/>‘Hello, Miss,’ said Ottilie in a tiny voice, trying her best to be polite. ‘It’s nice to meet you.’ Elena ignored her, still looking at Stefan. ‘She shouldn’t be here, she’s just a child. Take her back to where you found her!’ She was almost ordering this, as if she expected it would happen. Ottilie started to tremble at the thought of being sent back. Stefan noticed her begin to shake and made a move to go to her, but Elena stepped between them. ‘Take her back, Stefan’ she said, quietly. </p><p>At that moment, Damon appeared and stepped in, picking up Ottilie who was now shaking so hard that he thought his heart might break. Her own heart, he noticed, focusing in to hear it, seemed to be racing at a million miles an hour. ‘What’s going on?’ he asked, accusingly. Elena looked back at Ottilie, and at the stern faces of the brothers. ‘Nothing,’ she said, breezily. ‘Hi Ottilie, I’m looking forward to getting to know you.’ She smiled sweetly before turning back to Stefan. ‘Are you coming to grill later? Do you think you can make time?’ she almost sneered. ‘Yes of course,’ he replied, cooly. ‘We are bringing Ottilie to meet everyone.’ She scoffed.<br/>‘Of course you are. I’ll see you later.’ With that, she swept out of the house. </p><p>‘Is she okay, brother?’ asked Stefan. Damon glared at him, then down at the little girl in his arms. He was concerned to hear Ottilie’s heart thumping very quickly. ‘Hey, little lady,’ he said gently to her, moving her head from his shoulder to look at her face. Her eyes were closed. ‘Hey, Ottilie?’ he said with a little more urgency. When she didn’t respond, he held her a little further away from him, trying to ascertain why she wasn’t waking up. ‘Shit, Stefan!’ he swore quietly. He laid the tiny human on the sofa and shook her gently by the shoulders. Stefan had run to get a cold cloth and began to dab it gently on her head. Presently, her eyes fluttered open and she blinked up at them standing over her. ‘Otti, what happened? Are you okay?’ asked Stefan, somewhat panicked. She nodded.<br/>‘Sorry, Stefan. I think I got a bit scared and then everything went fuzzy then black. It happens sometimes.’ She shrugged, seemingly unphased by what had happened. <br/>‘I’m going to get her something sugary to drink, Damon’ said Stefan. ‘I think she must have fainted.’ Damon just nodded, relieved to hear that her heart was now beating normally again. ‘You scared me, little lady,’ he whispered to her, moving her hair from her face and taking her hand.’ She looked a little upset.<br/>‘I’m really sorry, Damon.’ She whispered. He smiled at her, moving her legs gently so that he could sit next to her, and then placing them over his own. ‘It’s not your fault, sweetheart. I’m sorry you were scared.’ He said. Stefan appeared with the orange juice and helped her sit so that she could drink it. The colour returned to her cheeks and she asked if she could go and finish her reading. Damon nodded and beckoned Stefan to accompany him to the kitchen. </p><p>‘Stefan, surely that isn’t normal?’ he asked. Stefan looked worried. <br/>‘I haven’t come across it before, I have to say.’ He said, ‘but then I never got to paediatrics in my training. It seems like she had a panic attack and ending up passing out. We need to keep an eye on that.’ Damon nodded. <br/>‘What was up with Elena?’ he asked. Stefan shrugged.<br/>‘Ah, I think she was just annoyed that I’ve been so occupied with Ottilie. I’ll catch up with her later though.’ Damon looked unconvinced but decided not to press the matter. <br/>‘I’m going to go and prepare Ottilie for going to the grill. I’ll see you in a bit, brother.’ He said, and left to go and help the young girl choose and outfit for meeting his friends.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Damon walked into the grill, holding Ottilie’s tiny hand firmly in his. Stefan was in front of them and made his way straight to the table where Elena sat with Caroline, Matt, Tyler and Bonnie. ‘Hey you!’ he said, kissing Elena on the cheek. He sat next to her and beckoned at Damon to come to the table. ‘Damon and I have someone we’d like you all to meet. I know she’s already met Elena and Caroline,’ At this, Elena looked up sharply. ‘Everyone, meet Ottilie. She’s staying with Damon and I at the boarding house.’ Ottilie looked up at them all and was reassured by Caroline’s friendly smile and the interested but kind looks that the others gave her. Well, except for Elena, of course, who was staring at Stefan with something that looked like betrayal in her eyes. ‘When did Caroline meet her?’ she asked. Caroline bent down to pick Ottilie up and place her on the seat next to her. ‘Well, we went on a shopping trip, didn’t we, Otti? She has the best taste I’ve ever seen from a little girl.’ She said kindly. Ottilie smiled shyly and sat as close to Caroline as she could. Damon took the seat next to her. ’So you met her before I did?’ asked Elena. Caroline shrugged.<br/>‘I guess so? Ottilie needed clothes, didn’t you sweetheart?’ She smiled down at the little girl next to her. Sensing some tension, Damon announced that he was going to order some food and drinks. ‘Anyone want anything?’ he asked. He went to place the order and came back with a large glass of bourbon for himself, and a glass of lemonade for Ottilie. </p><p>‘So, Ottilie,’ said Bonnie, ‘how did you meet Stefan and Damon?’ The little girl liked Bonnie. She had an air of goodness about her, as if she were well-meaning. Ottilie answered quietly, ‘Mr Damon found me in the woods and asked if I wanted to live with him, as my last place wasn’t very nice.’ Bonnie smiled at her and placed her hand on top of Ottilie’s. They both gasped as a sudden shock went through them. Bonnie, pulling herself together, quickly reassured Ottilie with a gentle smile. Their food arrived and the small girl was soon tucking into a large bowl of pasta. Damon smiled down at her, pleased that she was eating so well. He hoped that she’d soon put on a bit of weight so that she wouldn’t look so frail and thin. </p><p>Just as they were finishing, a group of people walked into the grill. ‘Well, if it isn’t our favourite mismatch of vampires, humans and werewolves…’ came a teasing voice with a strange accent. Damon quickly silenced him with a look, having noticed Ottilie’s confused face. ‘He’s such a joker,’ whispered Stefan to her.<br/>‘Hello, darling!’ said the man, now noticing the small child sitting with them. ‘Who would you be?’ Damon introduced her quickly. <br/>‘I’m Kol,’ said the man. ‘And you are the sweetest little thing I’ve ever seen.’ He teased her gently and she smiled up at him. ‘These are my brothers, Klaus and Elijah. And my sister, Rebekkah.’ Ottilie waved shyly at them. They joined the group at the table. Ottilie studied them carefully. ‘Kol is fun,’ she thought, ‘Elijah is very serious, but I think very loyal. Rebekkah seems very kind, and Klaus, he seems a bit sad.’ Klaus noticed her staring at him. ‘You know, it’s not polite to stare,’ he whispered. She looked down at the table, suddenly nervous. ‘I’m sorry, Sir.’ She stammered. Klaus’ face broke into a big smile. <br/>‘Sir?’ he joked, ‘I like this one! Cheer up, love. I’m not cross with you. What were you thinking?’ She looked back at him, as if checking that he wasn’t indeed cross with her. <br/>‘I was thinking that you look sad, Mr Klaus’ she said, gently. His smile faded slightly, and he took her hands in his. ‘I was a little,’ he said quietly. ‘But then I met you, and I think we will be friends. And that makes me happy.’ She smiled at him, and he knew instantly that she was precious, and to be protected at all costs. ‘So, Miss Ottilie,’ said Elijah. ‘Tell us about yourself?’ She shrugged.<br/>‘There’s not much to tell, Sir. I don’t know much about me except that I used to live with a family near the woods. And I ran away and now I live with Damon and Stefan.’ He smiled at her kindly. ‘I’m sure they will look after you well.’ He said. </p><p>The afternoon passed without incident and the large group of friends all chatted happily, their feuds and quarrels long forgotten. Ottilie climbed onto Damon’s knee and snuggled into him. Before long, he noticed that she was fast asleep on him. He was pleased that she felt safe and relaxed enough to let her guard down and sleep. He stood up, gently holding Ottilie so as not to wake her. ‘I think I should get the little lady home,’ he said. The others said their goodbyes, and Elijah and Klaus accompanied him to the door. ‘She’s special, that one’ said Klaus, gently. ‘I can tell.’ Damon nodded.<br/>‘You don’t have to tell me,’ he said. ‘I can’t understand why I feel this connection to her, but I do, and I want to protect her at all costs.’ Elijah ruffled her hair gently without waking her. ‘I’m looking forward to getting to know Miss Ottilie, You will let us all be a part of her life, won’t you?’ Damon agreed readily. <br/>‘I can’t think of anyone better equipped to protect her than the Mikaelsons and the Salvatores’ he joked. With that, he sped off back to the mansion, and placed Ottilie in her little room.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The weeks passed and Damon and Stefan worked hard with Ottilie, not only to build up her trust and confidence, but to help her get to a level with her school work that was acceptable for a nine year old. They found that she was a good student, and learned quickly. In no time at all, Damon went to enrol her at the local school and so it came to her first day. </p><p>He went to wake up her that morning. He noted with satisfaction that she was consistently sleeping in her bed now, rather than on the floor. He went over to her and opened the curtains a little to let some light in. ‘Otti,’ he called gently. ‘Time to get up, sweetheart. It’s your first day at school.’ Ottilie opened her eyes sleepily and grinned at him. She was really excited for her first day. She hopped out of bed and got ready for school while Damon went to the kitchen to make her some breakfast. Her appetite was far better and suitable for a nine year old now, and this was a great relief to him. Having devoured her breakfast, Damon and Stefan took Ottilie to school. As they got out of the car, they walked up to the front gates, with Ottilie clutching at both of their hands. They’d decided to call her their little sister, and it had been no trouble at all for Damon to compel them into not asking any questions about her sudden appearance. A teacher with a kind face appeared, introducing themselves as Miss Briants. ‘Hello there, Ottilie. It’s lovely to meet you. I’m sure you’re going to make a wonderful addition to our class. I have another student who will be your buddy today, and will show you where everything is, okay? Alright, say goodbye to your brothers now.’ Ottilie looked up at Damon and Stefan and her lip began to quiver.<br/>
‘Hey,’ said Stefan quickly, crouching down to be at her level. ‘you are going to have the best day, and when Damon and I pick you up, we want to hear all about it. Right, Damon?’ His brother nodded. ‘Every last detail, little lady.’ She giggled and he picked her up to hug her goodbye before passing her to Stefan. ‘Bye Stefan, bye Damon!’ she called, as Miss Briants lead her into the school.</p><p>The two brothers headed back to the mansion. When they got back, they were surprised to see Elijah and Klaus waiting for them. ‘Miss Ottilie’s first day at school?’ questioned Elijah. The brothers nodded. ‘Can we help you?’ asked Stefan. They invited the Mikaelson brothers in, and they sat in the parlour. ‘I hope you don’t mind,’ said Klaus, ‘but we’ve been doing a little research into the charming Ottilie.’ Damon looked a bit annoyed.<br/>
‘I apologise on my brother’s behalf,’ said Elijah, soothingly. ‘I realise that he has overstepped the boundary, but I think you will find the information of interest.’ Damon nodded, still a little aggravated. ‘I went searching the households around the woods where you found the child,’ said Klaus, ‘and I compelled them to tell me which house Ottilie was living in. I found it, a horrible place. She’s far better off here.’ Damon smiled smugly at this. ‘I compelled the lady of the house to tell me everything she knew about Ottilie. Shamefully, she knew little but the name of orphanage where she got her from.’ Stefan looked a little concerned.<br/>
‘Did you hurt this woman? I’m not sure Ottilie would be happy with us if you did?’ Klaus smiled, slyly, ‘Oh no,’ he replied. ‘She is unharmed. She will be cleaning and cooking for the rest of her life, but otherwise, no. She is unhurt.’ Damon snickered, enjoying the irony of the punishment. Elijah took over Klaus’ story. ‘We then went to the orphanage where Ottilie previously lived. Again, we compelled the staff there to give us Ottilie’s full name, and any records they have of her.’ He paused.<br/>
‘Well?!’ said Damon, exasperated.<br/>
‘She was born 10 years ago to parents Connor and Delilah Benoit. The Benoits are an old family descending from New Orleans, I believe. They died when she was 2 and she was sent to the orphanage where she remained until she was 3.’ Damon and Stefan exchanged looks. So she was indeed 10 years old, and had suffered in that house with the woman for 7 years. ‘There’s more,’ said Klaus. Elijah nodded.<br/>
‘Indeed. When she was an infant and her parents were alive, she required open heart surgery to try and rectify a genetic malfunction. Her records claim that it was partially successful, but she lives still with tachycardia, and that it would need checking regularly. Did you know this?’ Damon shook his head.<br/>
‘We knew she had a scar. Caroline suspected it was from heart surgery.’ Stefan nodded.<br/>
‘Tachycardia is when the heart beats too quickly. It’s a type of arrhythmia. Damon, we need to take her to get that checked out. I doubt the woman she lived with before has ever had her checked.’<br/>
‘I believe she may already have had a bought of this “tachycardia” since she met us, brother. Do you remember when she first met Elena? Her heart was going at a thousand miles per hour!’ Klaus looked surprised.<br/>
‘Elena? Why would she cause that reaction out of a child?’ he asked.<br/>
Damon shrugged. ‘I don’t think she was best pleased to meet Ottilie.’ He said, looking at Stefan who just stared at his feet. Klaus sniggered.<br/>
‘Oh dear, poor Elena, having to vie for your affections.’ He teased. Stefan looked uncomfortable. ‘Well thanks for this information,’ he said. ‘We are very grateful to know about Ottilie’s condition. We can make sure we can keep her healthy now.’ The Mikaelsons nodded and bid their farewells. </p><p>Later that afternoon, Damon and Stefan were standing outside of Ottilie’s school, waiting for her to come out. The bell rang and she appeared, hugging each of them tightly. Stefan picked her up, ‘I missed you, Otti!’ he whispered.<br/>
‘I missed you too!’ she replied.<br/>
‘Did you have fun?’ asked Damon. She nodded eagerly and chatted away all the way home about her new friends and her new teachers. </p><p>That evening, Damon had put Ottilie to bed. She’d been so tired after her first day at school that she was nodding off whilst she was eating her dinner. When he got back down to the kitchen, he noticed a text from Klaus on his phone. He called Stefan over.<br/>
‘Damon,’ it read. ‘We forgot to tell you one other thing about Ottilie. Her birthday is in four day’s time. She’ll turn 11. Klaus.’<br/>
The brothers exchanged looks. ‘I think we should ask Caroline to organise a party,’ suggested Damon, jokingly. Stefan laughed. ‘Do you think we could involve Elena? I’d really like them to get on.’ Damon shrugged.<br/>
‘As long as she doesn’t hurt Otti, or cause her harm, I don’t mind.’</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was Ottilie’s birthday. The brothers hadn’t said anything to her, as they had a surprise planned. Damon went into her bedroom that morning to wake her up. ‘Good morning, little lady!’ he said cheerfully, as she burrowed further under the covers. ‘Time to get up! We’ve got an exciting day today!’ She looked up at him, questioningly.<br/>‘Why? What day is it?’ she asked. He smiled down at her before scooping her up for a hug. ‘It’s your birthday, sweetheart!’ he said, ‘Happy Birthday!’ Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘My birthday?’ she asked, ‘I’ve never had one of those before.’ Damon looked down at her a little sadly. ‘What do you mean?’ he asked. <br/>‘Well the lady where I lived before, she said that I didn’t get one.’ Damon hugged her a little closer to him. ‘Well we’re certainly going to celebrate it today then to make up for the others!’ he said, teasingly. ‘Come on, get dressed. Stefan’s making you a special birthday breakfast.’ He left her too it and waited for her to come downstairs. </p><p>‘She just told me she’s never had a birthday before, brother.’ He told Stefan, who looked at him sadly. ‘All the more reason to celebrate properly today then, I guess.’ He replied. Damon nodded, and looked up as Ottilie entered the room. Stefan put down the cooking utensils he was holding and ran to her, sweeping her up into a hug and spinning her around. ‘Happy Birthday, Otti!’ he said, happily. She giggled and thanked him. ‘I’ve made you pancakes with berries and honey. Is that okay?’ She nodded excitedly. <br/>‘Thank you, Stefan. They’re my favourite!’ she said. She sat down to eat and the brothers joined her, all chatting happily. When she’d finished, the took her into the living room and sat her on the sofa. ‘Present time!’ shouted Damon, carrying in some wrapped gifts. Ottilie’s eyes opened wide as sauces as she saw them. ‘Are they for me?’ she whispered. Damon and Stefan chuckled, ‘well they’re not for us!’ joked Stefan. Damon placed the presents in front of her. ‘Come on then,’ he said, ‘get opening! This one is from me.’ He handed one to her and she began to tentatively undo the wrapping. She gasped in delight to find a beautiful colouring book, full of intricate designs. ‘Thank you, Damon,’ she said. ‘I love it!’ She jumped up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He gently kissed the top of her head. ‘You’re welcome, sweetheart,’ he said, softly. <br/>‘My one next!’ said Stefan, handing her another gift. Again, she opened it, relishing the process that was so new to her. This time, it was a pack of colouring pens and pencils. ‘Wow, Stefan, thank you! I’ve never seen so many colours. They’re so beautiful!’ she hugged him too and he smiled happily at her, pleased that such a simple gift could bring so much joy. There was one package left. It was long and slim. Damon handed it to her. ‘This one is from both Stefan and I’ he said. She opened it, and pulled out an envelope. She opened it and having read the words on the paper that was in it, looked up at Damon and Stefan with tears in her eyes. ‘Do you mean it?’ she whispered. ‘This is real?’ The brothers nodded, not trusting themselves to speak. ‘Thank you so much. I don’t know what to say’ she whispered. Damon picked her up and Stefan took both her hands in one of his. ‘Just tell us whether you’re happy for us to adopt you, sweetheart. It’s your choice.’ Said Damon. She nodded quickly. ‘Yes, yes a million times. Please adopt me.’ The brothers pulled her into a hug.<br/>‘Of course, we hoped that you’d say yes’ said Stefan. <br/>‘Welcome to the family, Ottilie Salvatore’ said Damon.</p><p>The brothers took Ottilie out for a walk later that morning, and when they arrived back to the mansion, Ottilie noticed a feeling about it. There was an air of suspense and excitement around the house. She wondered what it meant but didn’t mention it to the brothers. They walked through the front door and suddenly, there was a loud collection of shouts. ‘Happy Birthday, Ottilie!’ The little girl stepped back, surprised, but her shocked expression turned into one of joy as she saw all her new favourite people in one place. </p><p>There was music playing, and plenty of food going round. Each guest came up to Ottilie at some point during the party to wish her a happy birthday in person, and some even gave her a little gift. Towards the end of the party, Ottilie snuggled up to Damon. ‘Thank you for a lovely party, Damon!’ she said. He smiled.<br/>‘I’d love to take credit for it,’ he said, ‘but it was all Caroline and Elena.’ She got up and went to find the girls to thank them. Before she could find them, Klaus entered the party. ‘Sorry I’m late, love! Happy Birthday!’ She heard Kol and Elijah snicker behind her.<br/>‘He’s always late, Otti,’ said Kol, jokingly. ‘Don’t take it personally’ She giggled and went up to hug Klaus. ‘I have a little gift for you,’ he said, handing her a large present. She opened it and was delighted to find a beautiful little painting of the Salvatore mansion. ‘Wow, thank you Klaus. Did you draw this?’ she asked in wonder. He nodded.<br/>‘I thought you might like a painting of home,’ he said. He caught the eyes of Damon and Stefan, who smiled gratefully at him. She nodded, eyes glistening. </p><p>She managed to find Caroline and thanked her for the wonderful party. The older girl smiled down at her and told her that she was most welcome. Next, Ottilie went to find Elena, who was sitting by herself as Damon and Stefan were talking with the Mikaelsons. ‘Thank you for the party, Elena,’ said Ottilie, who then tried to give her a hug. Elena pushed her away a little abruptly. ‘Don’t touch me,’ she almost spat. ‘I just did the party because Stefan asked me to. Not for you.’ Ottilie didn’t know what to say so she just backed away from Elena, noting the dark, unpleasant feel around her. She didn’t understand why she was feeling this, but just knew that Elena wasn’t someone she wanted to spend time around. She went back up to Stefan and held his hand, almost feeling Elena glaring into her back.  </p><p>Later that night, as Damon was putting Ottilie to bed, she brought up her worries about Elena. ‘Damon, I don’t think that Elena likes me very much,’ she said. Damon looked at her, a little confused. ‘Why do you think that?’ he asked. <br/>‘Well she has a funny feel around her when I’m near her,’ she said. Damon frowned, not understanding what she meant. ‘And she said that she only helped to organise my party because Stefan asked her to’ she added. Damon sighed. <br/>‘I’m sorry, Otti. I don’t think Elena meant anything horrible by it. She needs to get to know you better, that’s all.’ She nodded and snuggled down under the covers. ‘Night night, Otti’ he whispered, kissing her forehead gently.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day had come to take Ottilie for a check-up at the hospital. The brothers had done a lot of research into her condition. Stefan had taken to reading his old medical textbooks, whilst Damon had laughed at him, and turned to the internet for advice. Ultimately, they knew they’d have to take Ottilie to the hospital for a proper check. </p><p>‘I don’t understand why we’re here,’ she said to Damon, as they entered the imposing building. ‘We aren’t ill, are we?’ He shook his head.<br/>‘No sweetheart, nobody’s ill. You know your scar on your chest? We just need to make sure that it’s all okay.’ She nodded, trusting him.</p><p>The appointment went smoothly, and Damon and Stefan held her hands throughout the uncomfortable bits, hating that she was in pain or discomfort. At last, the tests were over and the doctor sat them all down. ‘Well, Ottilie, it’s a pleasure to have met you. I’m pleased to tell you that there is nothing wrong with your heart that requires immediate treatment.’ Damon let out a breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding. ‘However,’ continued the doctor. ‘It is vital that we keep an eye on you with regular visits here. You have a condition called Long QT syndrome, and triggers like stress or fright can set it off. You’ll feel your heart beat very quickly and you might faint or have a seizure. Has this happened to you before?’ he asked kindly. Ottilie nodded. ‘It’s not surprising, my dear.’ Stefan swallowed. This was a lot to take it. ‘Is there anything we can do?’ he asked. The doctor smiled at him.<br/>‘Presently, I’m not inclined to do anything except avoid the triggers that could cause an attack. She needs to avoid stress, sudden noise and strenuous exercise. If she has an attack, her heartbeat should return to normal within a few minutes. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to call an ambulance as she could go into cardiac arrest.’ Damon’s jaw dropped. ‘Oh please don’t panic. It’s very rare for that to happen. As I said, we will keep an eye on her, and if we deem it necessary, we can start her on medication. She’s so young at the moment that I’m loath to do that.’ The brothers nodded and Stefan held Ottilie’s hand a little tighter. They thanked the doctor, taking the information booklets he’d given them, and went home. Ottilie was very quiet. ‘Are you okay sweetheart?’ asked Stefan gently. She nodded slowly, and her eyes filled with tears. ‘I understand if you don’t want me anymore,’ she whispered, trying not to cry. ‘I can go back if you want me to.’ Stefan and Damon crouched down to her level. Damon put his fingers under her chin and lifter her head to look straight into her eyes. ‘Ottilie, please don’t ever think that. We love you for who you are, and we are going to take care of you. Forever. Do you understand?’ she nodded tearfully. <br/>‘Come here, baby’ said Stefan, and he pulled her into a hug, feeling her little heart flutter against his chest as she sobbed. ‘Shall we go and make some food?’ he asked and felt her nod.</p><p>Later that night, Stefan and Damon were talking about Ottilie. She was upstairs, sleeping soundly. ‘We should tell the others,’ said Stefan. ‘It’s important they know what to look out for.’ Damon nodded.<br/>‘We will tell them while she’s at school tomorrow’ he replied. </p><p>Stefan and Damon gathered at the grill with their friends, and told them about Ottilie’s heart condition. They were met with concerned eyes and questions. ‘So she just needs to stay calm and relaxed?’ asked Caroline. Damon nodded. ‘Shouldn’t be too difficult…’ she said. The Mikaelsons were quiet. ‘This is worrisome indeed,’ said Elijah. ‘Oh to be human and fragile.’ Klaus smiled, however, and said,<br/>‘Ah yes, but don’t forget, she’s got the strongest people live looking out for her. She just doesn’t know it.’ The group laughed, relieved that the tense conversation had come to an end. Only one person didn’t join in. ‘Great,’ thought Elena. ‘Now they’ll have even less time for me. Well that’s going to have to change.’</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Life was good for Ottilie. She loved her new family, and couldn’t believe how lucky she was to end up with so many people looking out for her. The MIkaelson brothers, Kol, Elijah and Klaus were very attentive, and enjoyed spending time with her, painting or playing. She still kept her distance from Elena, whose dark aura unnerved her. She was doing very well at school, and her teacher was pleased with her progress.</p><p>One weekend, she was out with Damon, Stefan and Elena. She stayed glued to Damon’s side. They stopped for a picnic. ‘Do you want to play hide and seek?’ she asked the adults. Damon rolled his eyes. ‘Fine,’ he said. ‘The things I do for you!’ he teased.<br/>‘Who’s going to be the seeker?’ asked Stefan. Elena stood up.<br/>‘I will’ she said. ‘Get ready! You have 60 seconds. ’60, 59, 58…’ The others dispersed quickly, and tried to find hiding places. Damon and Stefan sped off, knowing they’d be able to hide quite far away. Ottilie ran to a place she’d spotted earlier, and hid behind a rock. ‘5…4…3…2…1… Coming ready or not!’ called Elena. She set off, looking around for signs of the brothers or Ottilie. She was pleased to see the top of Ottilie’s head, peeping out from behind a few large rocks. She snuck up. ‘Found you,’ she whispered. Ottilie’s face fell as she realised she’d been discovered. ‘Well done, Elena’ she said, generously. Elena scoffed. <br/>‘You need to leave’ she said, suddenly realising that this was the perfect time to try and get rid of Ottilie. She was certain that Damon and Stefan were far enough away to not hear her. ‘Leave, and don’t come back. Stefan and Damon don’t want you here.’ Ottilie’s lip began to quiver. ‘Yes they do!’ she argued back.<br/>‘They hate you,’ sneered Elena.</p><p>Meanwhile, Stefan and Damon realised they’d probably gone a little too far and began to make their way back to the picnic site, thinking they’d hide nearer by. </p><p>‘They think you’re pathetic, and broken’ Elena whispered nastily. ‘You’re a waste of their time and energy. They told me so’. Tears began to run down Ottilie’s face. <br/>‘The best thing you can do is go now. That’d be kindest to Stefan and Damon, and they’ve been so kind to you, they deserve at least that, don’t you think?’ She pushed at Ottilie. ‘Go!’ she said. Ottilie turned on her heels and began to run towards the wooded area, not too far from the picnic site. </p><p>Damon and Stefan appeared a few moments later. Hearing them, Elena spun around. ‘Found you!’ she said, laughing. They looked around for Ottilie. <br/>‘Where’s Otti?’ asked Stefan. Elena shrugged.<br/>‘I don’t know. Shall we carry on with the picnic?’ she suggested. Damon looked at her, aghast. ‘Obviously not, we need to find Ottilie.’ He said. Elena sighed, frustrated. <br/>‘God, you guys never think of anything else.’ She complained. Stefan frowned at her.<br/>‘Of course not, she’s my little sister now’ he said, simply. <br/>‘You don’t even care about me, do you?’ she said, her temper beginning to show. ‘It’s all about stupid, little Ottilie now.’ The brothers looked shocked at her outburst. <br/>‘How can you say that? We always look out for you’ said Damon. Elena just shook her head. <br/>‘No, all you can think of is her, and when I need you to save me, I bet you’ll be too busy’ she sneered. ‘Elena, where is Ottilie?’ asked Damon, serious now. <br/>‘I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care.’ She said, nastily. </p><p>Ottilie was running as fast she could towards the forest. Her heart was pounding in her chest, threatening to rip right through her ribs. Tears streamed down her face. How could she have been so stupid as to think that Stefan and Damon would still want her? She was a mess, and a waste of time. Elena had said so. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, and she clutched her hands to it, stopping her running. Her vision started to fade and she slumped to the floor. </p><p>‘Ottilie?’ called Stefan. He and Damon were looking for her everywhere. <br/>‘Quiet, brother,’ said Damon suddenly, honing his hearing in on the frantic beating of a human heart. ‘Do you hear that?’ he asked. Both brothers sped towards the source of the noise, and fell to their knees in front of the tiny figure, lying on her side. ‘Otti?’ called Stefan gently. Damon rolled her onto her back and checked to see if she was breathing. ‘Ottilie, open your eyes please sweetheart,’ he said gently. There was no response. He rested his hand on her chest, anxiously feeling the panicked thump of her heart under his palm. ‘Stefan, what do we do?’ It broke Stefan’s heart to hear the strain in his brother’s voice.<br/>‘We just have to wait, brother,’ he said. Damon lifted her tiny body into his arms, and held her to him, rocking her gently. ‘Come on, little lady, come back,’ he whispered. Stefan took one of her little hands and felt for her pulse. He was relieved to feel it slowing back to normal. Within a minute, her heartbeat was steady. ‘She should start to come around soon, Damon’ said Stefan, reassuringly. Sure enough, Ottilie’s eyes began to flutter open. Damon could have cried in relief, and kissed her face gently. ‘Welcome back, little otter,’ he whispered. She just smiled up at him, too exhausted to move. ‘Let’s get her home,’ said Damon. Stefan nodded, and texted Elena to pack up the picnic things. They didn’t even wait for Elena, but sped off back to the mansion. Damon set Ottilie in her bed, and stroked her hair whilst she fell asleep. Stefan came in. ‘Are you okay, brother?’ he asked, gently. Damon nodded tersely. ‘She could have died, Stefan. How do we live with this?’ Stefan shook his head. ‘I don’t know, Damon. But we have to, for Ottilie’ Damon nodded, gazing down at the little face of the human he’d come to love as his daughter. ‘I’d do anything for her, Stefan,’ he whispered. Stefan nodded, taken aback by this unusual show of emotion from Damon. ‘I know you would, brother’ he said, gently.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stefan and Elena weren’t talking, and the atmosphere was tense whenever the group got together. Nobody except the Salvatores and Elena knew why they’d fallen out, and they didn’t want to share what had happened at the picnic. Ottilie was doing well. With a healthy diet, she was starting to look less frail, and had even grown a few centimetres over the months since Stefan and Damon had adopted her. That weekend, Rebekkah Mikaelson had offered for Ottilie to go and stay with them. She thought that maybe Damon and Stefan might need some time to themselves for a change. Ottilie was very excited at the thought of a sleepover at the Mikaelson mansion, full of some of her favourite people. </p><p>On Friday after school, Damon helped Ottilie pack a small bag to take with her for the weekend. ‘You’ll be good, Ottilie, won’t you?’ he asked teasingly, knowing full well that she’d be no trouble for the Mikaelsons. She nodded enthusiastically. ‘I promise!’ she said. She said goodbye to Stefan, who was more drawn and quiet than usual since the incident with Elena, and Damon drove her to their friends’ mansion. He carried her bag to the front door whilst Ottilie hopped up the stone steps. She rang the ornate doorbell and the large wooden door opened almost immediately. ‘Kol!’ she cried, happily. <br/>‘Hello darling!’ he said, and swept her up into his arms, spinning her around. ‘Do you want to come and see your room?’ he asked. She nodded and he took her hand, leading her into the house. Damon followed, and saw Klaus with Rebekkah. He went over to them. ‘Thanks for having her,’ he said. ‘God knows I need to have a good chat with Stefan this weekend.’ They nodded. ‘It’s no trouble at all, it’ll be fun to spend time with her!’ said Rebekkah excitedly. Damon chuckled at her enthusiasm.’ You say that now,’ he joked, ‘but wait until she gets you up at 6am to play with her!’ Rebekkah shrugged. <br/>‘I have all the time in the world to sleep,’ she retorted, teasingly. Damon sighed, suddenly nervous about leaving Ottilie for an extended amount of time. Klaus seemed to sense his unease and placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘Don’t worry, Damon’ he said. ‘We will look after Miss Ottilie as if she were one of our own.’ Damon nodded, knowing that he spoke the truth. ‘Just don’t let her get too excited or worked up, you know… I’m just finding it hard to trust other people with her, no offence’. Rebekkah smiled kindly at him. <br/>‘We understand,’ she said. ‘But we know what to look out for, and should the worst happen, you’re only a call away,’ Damon nodded. <br/>‘And Elijah trained as a heart surgeon about 50 years ago,’ joked Klaus. Rebekkah rolled her eyes. ‘Bloody hell, Klaus. Way to fill him with confidence!’ Damon laughed,<br/>‘It’s alright,’ he said. ‘I know she’ll be okay with you.’</p><p>Klaus called Ottilie down to say goodbye to Damon, and she hugged him close. ‘Have a great time, little lady,’ he said, placing a kiss on her head. She jumped up and down, excited. <br/>‘I will do, Damon. Have a nice weekend with Stefan!’ she said. And with that, Damon left her to it. </p><p>As he drove home, he noticed the full moon, heavy in the sky. ‘Well if that isn’t an omen, I don’t know what is…’ he thought drearily to himself. He found Stefan nursing a glass of bourbon in front of the fire. ‘Brother,’ he said. ‘We need to talk.’ Stefan nodded, unwillingly.<br/>‘I just can’t believe what Elena said about Ottilie. I didn’t think she had a horrible bone in her body, but she’s reacted so badly to everything that’s happened with Otti’ he said, sadly. Damon poured himself a drink. ‘I think we need to come to terms with the fact that Elena isn’t perhaps who we thought she was when she had our undivided attention.’ Stefan disagreed. ‘I think she’s maybe just scared that with our focus on Otti, that we won’t be there to save her when she needs us.’ Damon shrugged.<br/>‘Then she obviously doesn’t know us very well’ he said. <br/>‘What do I do, Damon? I can’t be with someone who hates my little sister’ he said. The corners of Damon’s mouth moved inadvertently to a smile as he heard Stefan talk of Ottilie as his sister. ‘I think you’re going to have to talk to Elena,’ he said. ‘You know, reassure her that all is fine. Why don’t you take her out for dinner tonight? Show her that you value spending time with her and all that?’ he suggested. Stefan nodded, brightening a little. <br/>‘That’s a good idea actually Damon. I’ll text her now.’ Damon sniggered into his bourbon as Stefan scrabbled around for his phone. ‘They don’t call me cupid for nothing, you know,’ he murmured, watching as Stefan rolled his eyes. </p><p>Meanwhile, Ottilie was having the time of her life at the Mikaelson mansion. She climbed trees in the huge garden with Kol, then sat with Klaus as he showed her how to paint. Rebekkah and Elijah were going to take her for a walk the next day, and Rebekkah, much to Elijah’s dismay, promised that it was a very muddy one. And so she came that evening to be sitting in the kitchen, eating her way through a huge piece of pizza when she felt a strange sensation come over. It was cold and menacing. ‘Mr Elijah,’ she whispered, feeling the need to stay quiet. ‘Do you feel that?’ He looked at her oddly. <br/>‘Are you quite alright, Miss Ottilie?’ he asked her gently. ‘Are you feeling unwell?’ She shook her head. ‘No, I’m sorry. I just felt a bit weird, that’s all. It’s better now.’ He took her hand in his, gently feeling for her pulse. The other hand went to her forehead to check for her temperature. Finding everything in order, he announced that maybe she was just tired. She agreed, suddenly feeling very sleepy. ‘Come on then, little miss sleepyhead,’ he teased. He took her by the hand and lead her up to the huge guest bedroom where she was to sleep that night. He wished her a pleasant sleep and left her to get ready for bed, which she did as quickly as possible. </p><p>She soon fell asleep, and started having a very strange, unnerving dream. She was walking through the Mikaelson mansion in her pyjamas, barely making a noise. She got to the back door and let herself into the garden. She looked up at the full moon and stood there, staring at it for what felt like ages. She could hear screaming, and sounds like bones breaking. It started softly, and got louder and louder until…</p><p>She awoke with a jolt and was shocked to find herself standing in the garden by one of the trees she’d climbed only hours before. She looked around, trying to work out how she’d got there. It was cold and she wrapped her arms around her, thankful she was at least wearing full length pyjamas. She stepped towards the door to let herself back inside when she heard a growl come from behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks, and backed slowly up towards the tree. Looking around for where the noise had come from, she was horrified to see two, large yellow eyes staring at her from about 40 metres away. She panicked and began to climb the tree as fast as she could, using the footholds that Kol had shown her. She got as high up as she could, and looking down, saw a huge wolf at the base of the tree, prowling around. It started to jump up, trying to get a grip on the tree trunk. She was just out of reach. Her heat was thumping, and her breath was coming in ragged gasps. ‘Help,’ she managed to whimper, ‘Help!’ Her vision started fading as she felt a huge pain in the left side of her chest. Then the world tipped upside down and she was falling into darkness.</p><p>Klaus was awoken by the howls of the wolves. ‘Full moon,’ he thought grimly. He got up, thinking he’d check on their guest, and made his way to her room. He found her bed empty. ‘Elijah!’ he roared, who appeared impressively quickly for the middle of the night. ‘What’s wrong, brother?’ he asked. <br/>‘Ottilie is gone, we need to find her.’ Elijah didn’t look too worried. <br/>‘She can’t have gone far, Niklaus’ he said. Klaus stormed out of Ottilie’s room and went downstairs. ‘Need I remind you, brother, that tonight is the full moon. If she even left the house, she’s in danger.’ Just then, both brothers heard it. A quiet, desperate, ‘help, help!’ and they tore off in the direction of the plea. They looked in horror at the scene that presented to them. Ottilie was holding onto the branches of the tree, her little face paler than death, looking at the large wolf, snapping around the base. Klaus ran at the wolf, just as the little girl’s hold gave out, and she began to fall, seeming to float through the air, limp and lifeless as a doll. Elijah, seeing that the path was clear of the wolf dove to catch her, trying desperately to lessen the impact. He just made it, catching her under her shoulders and knees and falling to the floor with her. He rolled, getting onto one knee and pulling her up so that he was holding her shoulders and her head lolled on his knee. Her eyes were shut fast, and he could hear the racing of her heart. Klaus had managed to get rid of the wolf, which, having seen the glint in Klaus’ eye, had turned and run for the woods. ‘Call Damon,’ said Elijah, grimly. He set the little girl flat on the ground, checking to see if she was breathing. <br/>‘Damon,’ said Klaus into the phone, ‘you need to come over. Ottilie’s had a tachycardiac attack.’ He heard Damon swear profusely down the phone. <br/>‘I’m on my way,’ he heard him say. He looked at Elijah who was gently shaking Ottilie’s shoulders, trying to get her to come round. ‘Miss Ottilie,’ he said, ‘can you hear me?’ There was no response and Elijah gathered her into his arms. ‘Come brother, we must keep her warm.’ They hurried her into the house and set her down on a table in the first room they came to. ‘Rebekkah!’ shouted Klaus. ‘Bring us some blankets! Kol, get the door open. Damon is coming over.’ His siblings sprang to action from their bedrooms, not even questioning his demands due to the desperation in his voice. Rebekkah appeared with blankets and Klaus wrapped them around the tiny figure on the table, trying not to disturb Elijah who was checking her over. ‘I’m not happy about this,’ Elijah muttered quietly. ‘It’s taking too long for her heartrate to go back to normal.’ Klaus swallowed thickly, noticing the lights of the car coming up the drive. Stefan and Damon leapt out of the vehicle and sped through the open door. ‘What happened?’ demanded Damon, running over to his little girl. ‘How long ago did this happen?’ asked Stefan, a little calmer than Damon. Elijah stood back from Ottilie, still keeping a hand on her wrist to monitor her pulse. ‘She said that she felt a bit weird earlier, but I put it down to tiredness,’ he said. ‘Then we heard her and she outside, up a tree with a bloody wolf snapping at her,’ added Klaus.<br/>‘A wolf?!’ exclaimed Damon. He held Ottilie’s face in his hands, gently stroking her pale cheeks. ‘She’s been unconscious for about 5 minutes,’ said Elijah. ‘Her heartrate isn’t slowing. If she doesn’t improve in the next minute, we need to take her to the hospital’ The Salvatore brothers nodded grimly. ‘Come on, sweetheart,’ whispered Damon. ‘Wake up, you don’t want to go to hospital, do you?’ As if on cue, Elijah moved suddenly closer to Ottilie, placing his hand over her heart to feel her heartbeat starting to settle. He held his other hand over her mouth and nose, feeling the soft, steady output of air against it. He sighed in relief, ‘she’s starting to steady out,’ he said. ‘Her heartbeat is slowing and her breathing is more stable.’ Stefan looked like his knees were about to give out at any moment and Rebekkah lead him to a chair. Klaus leaned heavily on one the chairs around the table and Elijah placed a comforting hand on his back. Kol held back, terrified by what had just happened. Damon pulled Ottilie into his arms. ‘Otti,’ he whispered, ‘I’m here Otti, let me see you open your eyes please sweetheart.’ Her eyes fluttered open, and she gazed up at him, disorientated. ‘Damon?’ she said, ‘What are you doing here?’ Damon almost laughed but felt tears of relief spring into his eyes, and so buried his face into her long her, holding her close. ‘You gave us all a scare there, love,’ said Klaus softly, taking one of her small hands into his. <br/>‘Miss Ottilie, I’m so very sorry that you found yourself in such a dangerous position in our home. It is unforgiveable’ said Elijah sadly. Ottilie shook her head, <br/>‘No, Mr Elijah, I’m sorry – it was my fault for being outside!’ Stefan came over to her. <br/>‘That’s a good point, Ottilie,’ he said, seriously. ‘What were you doing outside when you were meant to be in bed?’ She began to cry silently, tears rolling down her face. Stefan is so angry with me, she thought.  ‘I’m really sorry, I was asleep and I had a dream, but then when I woke up, I was outside. I tried to come back in but then I saw the wolf. I didn’t do it on purpose, I promise!’ <br/>This time, it was Kol’s turn to console her. ‘It’s okay, Otti. I believe you. It’s just very strange that we didn’t hear you leave!’ Klaus looked down at Ottilie, who was starting to fall asleep. ‘Might I suggest,’ he said, ‘that we take Ottilie back up to her room to sleep. Are you happy for her to stay here?’ Damon nodded. <br/>‘Maybe one of us should stay outside her room whilst she sleeps? In case she was sleep walking?’ suggest Rebekkah. Kol offered to do so and Damon carried the now sleeping Ottilie to her room, setting her gently into her bed. </p><p>When he came back downstairs, having left her under the safe guard of Kol, he thanked the other Mikaelsons for taking care of her. ‘I’m just sorry that we had to,’ said Rebekkah. ‘I really hope it won’t deter you from leaving her with us again, but we’d understand if it did.’ Damon smiled kindly at her, and Stefan wondered for a moment at the great change in his brother, since Ottilie came into his life. ‘You did everything you could, and it wasn’t your fault’ Damon said. ‘I trust you, and unfortunately this condition is a part of Ottilie’s life now, and by default, mine. As Stefan said a few weeks ago, we have to learn to deal with the worry for Ottilie.’ He looked over at his brother. <br/>‘Besides, she’s going to have to come and stay with you more often. I believe that tonight was a success on the “Stelena” front, am I right brother?’ Stefan rolled his eyes. <br/>‘Elena and I are back together,’ he explained to the Mikaelsons. ‘We managed to actually spend some time together’ he said. </p><p>The friends said their goodbyes and Damon and Stefan left to go back home. Back at the Mikaelson mansion, the siblings sat around the table where Ottilie had been lying only a short time earlier. ‘So,’ said Klaus slowly, ‘what do we tell Ottilie when she asks about that wolf?’ Elijah stood up to go to bed. <br/>‘That’s a problem for tomorrow, brother. I, for one, have had enough stress for one day. Goodnight Niklaus, Rebekkah’ he said, heading up the stairs.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ottilie awoke the next morning feeling drained. She looked around the room, wondering where she was. The events of that night flooded back to her and she huddled into the bed covers, frightened. She was sure she’d seen a wolf. Just then, her door opened and Rebekkah walked in. ‘Morning, sleepy head!’ she chirped. ‘How are you feeling today?’ Ottilie smiled up at her. ‘I’m fine thank you,’ she replied. ‘I’m very sorry for waking everyone up last night,’ she added. Rebekkah smiled at her kindly. <br/>‘Don’t worry about that. We are just glad that you’re okay. You get dressed then come for breakfast. Elijah and I are taking you for a walk today, remember?’ Ottilie nodded eagerly and sprung out of bed. </p><p>As she walked down the stairs a few minutes later, she heard Elijah and Klaus talking in low voices. ‘Could we have just given her blood? She heard Klaus ask. <br/>‘No brother, unfortunately we cannot heal illnesses like that, only injuries...’ She walked into the room where they were sat. ‘Good morning, Miss Ottilie. I am pleased to see you back on your feet,’ Elijah spoke hurriedly. Ottilie smiled at him, confused by the conversation she’d just heard. ‘Thank you for looking after me, Mr Klaus and Mr Elijah. I’m sorry to have caused so much trouble. I really don’t know why I was outside’ Klaus picked her up and placed her on a chair, putting a large bowl of cereal in front of her. ‘Don’t worry about it, Otti, no harm done’ he said, kindly. <br/>‘What were you talking about before?’ she asked, ‘about giving me blood?’ The brothers looked at her, sharply. <br/>‘It’s nothing, love,’ said Klaus, quickly, ‘just a remedy I came across for a different affliction that I thought might help with yours. Alas, our resident heart expert here doesn’t think it will work’, he looked over at Elijah, who shrugged and gave Ottilie a little smile. She tucked into her cereal, seemingly buying their explanation. ‘It’s okay,’ she said. ‘I guess I’ll just have to avoid wolves in the future,’ she joked. Klaus looked at her with raised eyebrows and decided not to comment. </p><p>Ottilie finished her breakfast and enjoyed the walk with Elijah and Rebekkah, listening to them tell stories about their travels. She spent the rest of the day at the mansion, painting with Klaus and playing games with Kol. By early evening, she was falling asleep after her exciting day and disturbed night. Rebekkah took her to sleep. ‘Don’t worry, Otti,’ she said as she tucked her in. ‘We won’t let anything happen to you tonight.’ Ottilie nodded, trusting her completely. ‘Thank you Miss Rebekkah,’ she said, sleepily. Rebekkah left her to sleep, and took a seat outside of her room. ‘I’m on Otter watch.’ She texted Damon, jokingly. His reply was simple. ‘Thank you.’ </p><p>Stefan picked Ottilie up the next day. ‘Hello Otti!’ he said happily, sweeping her into his arms for a hug. ‘Have you had a nice time?’ She nodded excitedly.<br/>‘Yes, I’ve had the best time. Thank you everyone,’ she said, almost shyly. Stefan picked up her small bag and waited for her to say goodbye to everyone. ‘Thanks for having her,’ he said. ‘And for the other night!’ They smiled and waved goodbye. </p><p>Damon stood up as they entered the house. ‘How’s my little otter then?’ he said. She skipped over to him and threw herself into his arms. ‘I had the best time, Damon! Mr Klaus showed me how to paint, Kol played with me all weekend, and I went on such a muddy walk!’ She was so excited that Damon couldn’t help but laugh at her, and pick her up for a hug. She was just so precious. ‘Well, Otti. We are going out for lunch with Elena and Stefan today. How does that sound?’ Ottilie looked a little unsure but smiled at Damon, trying to be brave at the thought of seeing Elena, who frightened her. Damon saw through the façade and looked into her eyes. ‘It’s okay, Otti. Stefan has spoken to Elena about you two, and she really wants to get to know you better.’ Ottilie nodded, still not quite convinced. </p><p>They made their way to the grill with Stefan, and Elena joined them shortly after they arrived. ‘Hi boys, Ottilie,’ she greeted. Ottilie waved shyly and smiled at her. She was determined to not to give Elena any reason to dislike her. They ordered lunch and got stuck into their food. The adults were talking about school and Damon was laughing at how his best friend, Alaric, was both Elena and Stefan’s teacher. Elena then turned to Ottilie, ‘so you spent the weekend with the Mikaelsons?’ Ottilie nodded. ‘Did you have fun?’ Elena asked, pleasantly. Ottilie smiled at her, enjoying her friendly conversation. ‘Yes thank you, Elena. I played with Kol and Klaus showed me how he paints. He’s very good at it!’ Elena nodded, smiling at her. ‘He is, isn’t he! I heard you didn’t sleep very well though?’ Ottilie shrugged. <br/>‘It was okay, I saw a wolf!’ Elena’s eyes went wide. <br/>‘You did? Wow! Are you sure it wasn’t Klaus? It was a full moon after all!’ Damon and Stefan looked sharply at her, their eyes laden with meaning that Ottilie didn’t understand. ‘What?’ Elena said, rolling her eyes at them. ‘I’m only teasing,’ she said defensively. Ottilie shook her head. ‘It can’t have been Mr Klaus. He came to help me’ she said, seriously. Stefan ruffled her hair gently. ‘Elena is just joking. Of course it wasn’t Klaus.’ She smiled up at him, reassured, and carried on eating her food. The rest of the meal passed without incident and they all left together. ‘She doesn’t know anything about you, does she Stefan?’ whispered Elena.<br/>‘No,’ answered Stefan, ‘and I’d like to keep it that way. She doesn’t need that to worry about, what with everything else going on in her life.’ Elena didn’t reply, slipped her hand into Stefan’s, smiling. Now there was a sure-fire way to get the Salvatore brothers back for herself.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ottilie had been living with the Salvatore brothers for over 8 months now, and was loving every minute of it. She was doing very well in school, and was a kind, popular and generous friend. She was keeping her heart condition under control and was able to manage the side effects well enough. </p><p>Damon called up to her as she was in her room doing some homework. ‘Otti, I’m going into town. Do you want to come?’ She shouted down her reply and starting packing up, getting ready to go. It was still warm out and she was dressed in a light blue cotton dress and sandals. Her brown hair was longer than ever and curled prettily at the ends. She bounced down the stairs to Damon and they left to get into the car. She got in and Damon tucked the seatbelt safely around her. They sat in happy companionable silence, and Damon smiled down at his daughter, taking his eyes off the road for one second. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the middle of the road, and Ottilie screamed, and Damon snapped his eyes back up and slammed the brakes. He managed to put his arm out to stop Ottilie flying forwards, but the car began to roll and spin across the road and into the ditch at the side. He tried his best to hold on to Ottilie, but it seemed like a lifetime before the car came to a stop, landing the right way up. Damon immediately turned to Ottilie. She was unconscious with blood pouring out of a large cut on her head. ‘Otti?’ he called to her. He felt for a pulse, and breathed in sharply when he felt it racing. ‘No, no, no, Otti, come on’ he urged, unbuckling himself from his seat, exiting the car and racing over to her side. He opened the door undid her seatbelt. He lifted her gently from the wreckage and laid her onto the ground. ‘Otti, wake up, please!’ he said, desperately. Her eyes stayed firmly shut and Damon gathered her back into his arms, careful not to hurt her further, and vamp sped home. He ran into the house, shouting for Stefan. ‘What the hell?’ shouted Stefan, as he ran into the room, having been rudely interrupted from some time with Elena. ‘Oh my god, Otti,’ he gasped, as he saw her, lifeless, in Damon’s arms. ‘Quick, put her down!’ he ordered Damon, who gently laid her on the rug. ‘What happened?’ he asked. Damon didn’t take his eyes off his daughter, but answered through gritted teeth. ‘Car accident – someone appeared on the road and I swerved and the car rolled.’ Stefan nodded, grimly. <br/>‘Okay, go and get me some cloths and water to wipe the blood away. We need to see what we are working with here.’ Damon sped off, and found Elena sitting in the kitchen, reading a magazine. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked, seemingly not at all distressed by the panicked voices coming from the other room. ‘Otti and I were in a car crash,’ he said, whilst hurriedly getting everything Stefan wanted. Elena’s mouth opened in shock, ‘Oh god, are you okay?’ Damon paused, looking at her strangely. ‘Yes, Elena, I’m fine, but Ottilie isn’t.’ She shook her head, ‘Oh dear,’ was all she said. Damon looked away, exasperated, and sped out the room, back to Ottilie and Stefan. He set the bowl and cloths down and the brothers started to gently clean away the blood, just as they had when Ottilie had appeared into their lives all those months ago. ‘Her heart is still racing, Stefan,’ said Damon, urgently, as he focused in on the sound of the tiny heart straining and thumping. Stefan nodded, ‘I know, brother, but I don’t know what we can do about it except keep an eye on it.’ They turned Ottilie’s head to one side to clean her injuries, and suddenly, she started gasping for air. The brothers sprang into action, gently turning her head, and tipping her chin back to open her airway. Her chest still heaved, trying to get air in as her heart beat frantically, but it was easier for her now. ‘We need to take her to the hospital, Damon,’ said Stefan, grimly. ‘We can’t look after her properly on our own.’ Damon just nodded, and picked Ottilie up, carefully making sure that she could still breathe. They made to leave the house when Elena appeared. ‘Where are you going, Stefan?’ she asked. <br/>‘I’m taking Damon and Otti to the hospital’ he replied. <br/>‘But why do you have to take her?’ she whined, ‘can’t Damon take her?’ Stefan looked baffled. ‘She’s practically my niece, Elena, of course I have to take her!’ Elena rolled her eyes and huffed, moodily. ‘Fine…’ she said, but the Salvatores had already left. </p><p>Damon sat in the back of Stefan’s car with Ottilie cradled on his lap. ‘Is she still breathing?’ asked Stefan. Damon checked her gently, putting his ear to her face and feeling the gentle puffs of air. ‘Yes, she is. And I think her heartrate is going back down now,’ he added, feeling slightly more optimistic. They arrived at the hospital and Damon carried her in. He was ushered by a nurse to put Ottilie on a bed, and he had to stifle back tears as he looked at her tiny, pale body dwarfed by the huge trolley bed. ‘What happened to her and what’s her name?’ he heard someone ask. Stefan answered for him. ‘She was in a car accident. The car flipped and she was trapped inside. She also has Long QT syndrome and she’s just coming out of an attack now. Her name is Ottilie Salvatore.’ The nurses nodded, before wheeling her away. Damon made to follow but Stefan took his arm. ‘No Damon, we have to let them do their jobs. She won’t be long.’ </p><p>Within 20 minutes, a kind faced nurse was calling into the waiting room. ‘Any family of Ottilie Salvatore?’ Damon and Stefan jumped up.<br/>‘Yes, we’re her…’ Stefan looked at Damon, ‘father and uncle,’ he finished, shrugging at Damon’s raised eyebrows. The nurse just smiled at them and asked them to follow her. She lead them to a small room in which Ottilie was lying in a small bed. She had a big bandage around her head and was attached to lots of different monitors. ‘She’s okay, Mr Salvatore,’ she said, looking at Damon, who’d rushed over to take her small hands in his. ‘She has a concussion and some stitches but no long term damage as far as we know.’ Damon lowered his head onto Ottilie’s arm in relief. ‘What about her heart?’ asked Stefan. The nurse shook her head, ‘she’s okay. Her heart rate was going back to normal as we treated her and she’s perfectly fine now. It’s not surprising it happened when being in a car crash. That kind of stress is the perfect trigger. Try not to worry too much.’ Stefan thanked her, and went to join Damon when she left. Damon looked up at him. ‘This is my fault, Stefan,’ he whispered. Stefan sighed. He knew this would happen. ‘Damon, it was an accident. There’s nothing you could of done. You probably stopped her getting more injured by holding as you said.’ Damon shook his head. ‘I can’t believe this has happened.’ Stefan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. ‘It’s life, brother. And she’s fine – look, I think she’s starting to wake up.’ Ottilie’s eyelids started to flutter, and she blinked, confused up at Damon and Stefan. ‘Hello, little lady,’ whispered Damon, kissing her cheek, gently. <br/>‘Damon?’ she murmured. ‘The car! Are you okay?’ she tried to sit up to see whether he was hurt and he laid her back down gently. ‘Don’t move, Otti’ he said. ‘I’m perfectly fine – see?’ He stood up and twirled around, trying to make her laugh. He was rewarded with a small giggle. ‘Otti,’ said Stefan. ‘You hit your head pretty hard but you’re okay. The doctors will want you to stay here for a little longer, but then we will take you home.’ She nodded slightly, wincing as it hurt her head. ‘Will you stay?’ she asked, scared of being alone.<br/>‘Of course we will, sweetheart’, answered Stefan, soothingly. She soon fell asleep and the brothers gazed over her. ‘So,’ said Damon, ‘Father and Uncle, huh?’ Stefan shrugged, smiling sheepishly. ‘Well what would you describe us as?’ Damon chuckled, <br/>‘Father and Uncle is perfect, Stefan. I wouldn’t change it for the world.’</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
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    <p>‘I can’t believe she’s turning 12,’ said Damon in disbelief. It was the day before Ottilie’s birthday, and she’d been living with the Salvatores for just over a year now. Stefan nodded in agreement, carrying the gifts that he and Damon had bought for her. They’d arranged a party for her and her friends, and then would be taking her for lunch with their group of friends the day after her birthday. </p><p>They arrived back home from shopping, and took the presents up to Damon’s room to hide them. Ottilie was spending the day with Caroline so that they could get set up for the party. They got the big dining room all decorated with balloons, and set the table for when they’d bring out the party food. Everything looked festive and ready for a party. The brothers smiled in satisfaction, knowing that Ottilie was going to really enjoy her birthday, only the second one she’d really celebrated. </p><p>Caroline dropped Ottilie back off at the mansion later that evening, and they sat and chatted about their day before Damon noticed Ottilie yawning. ‘Time for bed, little otter,’ he said, and took her upstairs to tuck her in. ‘Will you still want me to say goodnight when you’re old?’ he teased, as he pulled the blankets around her. She giggled,<br/>
‘Of course, Damon!’ she replied. ‘You can tuck me in forever!’ He chuckled and kissed her forehead. ‘I love you, Otti,’ he said, gently as her eyes began close. He left the room quietly, just about hearing her soft reply, ‘Love you too’. He smiled.</p><p>The next day, Ottilie woke bright and early and skipped downstairs, having got dressed in record time. ‘Happy Birthday!’ cried the brothers as she walked into the kitchen. They each hugged her, and Stefan presented her with her favourite breakfast of pancakes, this time with candles on top. As he placed the plate infront of her, some of the candles went out. ‘Oops!,’ he said, ‘I’ll just get the matches.’ Ottilie just blinked, and then suddenly, the candles were lit again. ‘Huh,’ said Damon, surprised. ‘Must have picked up some dodgy candles.’ Stefan shrugged and Ottilie blew the candles out.</p><p>Having finished her breakfast, the brothers lead her into the living room to open her presents. She opened the first one from Stefan. It was a beautifully bound book. She smiled at him, happily. ‘Thank you, Stefan. You know how I love to read!’ Stefan grinned back at her, whilst Damon rolled his eyes. Reading had never really been his thing. ‘Okay, my turn,’ he said, handing Ottilie a small package. She opened it, gasping in delight as she unwrapped a tiny, intricate jewellery box. ‘Wow, thank you, Damon! It’s so beautiful!’ He smiled at her, and ruffled her curls. ‘You’re welcome, sweetheart.’ Stefan handed her the final present. It was another small gift. She unwrapped a beautiful little necklace, and looked at the brothers in awe. ‘It’s amazing,’ she whispered. They smiled at her.<br/>
‘It was our mothers,’ said Stefan. ‘We’d really like you to have it.’ They saw tears spring into her eyes. ‘I’ll treasure it, forever and ever,’ she promised, throwing an arm around each of them and hugging the tightly. ‘Thank you.’ Damon fastened it around her neck and Stefan held her up to the big mirror over the fireplace so that she could see it. </p><p>The morning passed quickly, and soon, the doorbell rang, signalling the arrival of one of Ottilie’s friends. One by one, they arrived and were shown into the dining room where Ottilie greeted them warmly. The party started and Ottilie and her friends all at around the large dining room table, eating food and chatting and laughing happily. Damon and Stefan watched, pleased to see how easily Ottilie had integrated into spending time with people her own age. She was still a lot smaller than her friends, Damon noticed, a whole head shorter in some cases, but she was entirely in proportion, with a delicate frame and elegant movements. They played some games when they’d finished the food, and soon it was time for everyone to leave. Ottilie was a gracious host, thanking each friend for coming and spending her birthday with her. When everyone had left, Ottilie went back to the dining room to join in with the clearing up. She found Stefan and Damon there, already making a start and she joined in. ‘Oh look,’ said Stefan, holding up a water bottle. ‘One of your friends must have left this, I’ll go and clear it out and you can give it back to them at school on Monday.’ Ottilie nodded and she and Damon followed him into the kitchen, holding a pile of plates. They put the plates down near the sink, and Stefan emptied the water bottle, accidently pouring its contents onto his hand as he looked away. He dropped the water bottle, hissing in pain as his hands turned an angry red. He was gasping in pain as Damon and Ottilie ran over to him. ‘What’s wrong, Stefan?’ Damon asked, worriedly. Ottilie grasped Stefan’s hands in hers, looking in horror at the red sores on them. ‘Vervain,’ hissed Stefan. He suddenly felt a tingling sensation in his hands and felt the pain begin to ebb away. He looked down at Ottilie, who was holding his hands tightly with her eyes closed, her brows furrowed. The pain disappeared and his hands were clear. He suddenly felt a weight in his hands and Ottilie began to sink to the floor, her knees giving way. He caught her under her arms and lowered her to the floor. ‘Ottilie?’ he tapped her face gently. Damon was feeling for her pulse, sighing in relief when he felt it beating normally. The relief was short-lived, however, as blood began to trickle from her nose. ‘Oh my god, Stefan,’ he breathed in horror. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at them. ‘Stefan, are you okay?’ she asked. He nodded quickly.<br/>
‘Yes, I’m all fine now. What happened?’ She sat up shakily, and wiped her nose on a tissue that Damon offered her. ‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘I could feel your pain running through me, then it was all gone and I fell.’ Stefan nodded and picked her up, gently.<br/>
‘Let’s go and sit you down,’ he said. ‘Do you need something to eat?’ She shook her head. Damon followed them, making sure that Ottilie was settled comfortably on the sofa. ‘I’m going to get you some water,’ said Stefan, and he left for the kitchen, signalling Damon to follow him. ‘What the hell just happened?’ asked Damon in a low voice. Stefan shook his head. ‘I have no idea,’ he replied. ‘It’s like she siphoned off my pain. I could feel it disappearing quicker than it should have done. Why would there be vervain in the water anyway? It’s not been in the water supply for years!’ Damon shrugged.<br/>
‘I don’t know, brother, but I want to know what’s happening to Ottilie.’</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
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    <p>They didn't discuss what had happened with Stefan and Ottilie again, preferring to avoid any question about vervain. A week later, there was a Christmas procession through the Mystic Falls, and the brothers had promised to take Ottilie.</p><p>"Is it time to go yet, Stefan?' Ottilie asked for the third time. Elena looked at her, about ready to snap, but Stefan answered before she could. "Yes, Ottilie, let's go. Have you got your scarf?" The four of them left for the town centre. It was cold and dark, but Ottilie was excited. Suddenly, she felt a pang of distress, and she stopped walking, clutching her chest as she felt a pain there. The brothers stopped too, looking at her in concern. "Otti?" asked Damon, "what's wrong?" She looked up at them, the pain now gone but the unnerving feeling still remaining. "I'm not sure, I just suddenly had this feeling like something bad was going to happen, then my chest hurt." The brothers exchanged concerned looks and Damon knelt in front of her, taking her wrist to check her pulse, fearing that something was wrong with her heart.</p><p>Elena rolled her eyes. "Talk about being dramatic…" she said, but not quietly enough. Damon's eyes narrowed as she glared at her. "what is wrong with you?" he accused, "you're supposed to be nice, caring Elena!" She turned away from him, and carried on walking towards town. "Do you want to go back, Otti?" asked Stefan. She shook her head, and taking each of their hands, followed behind Elena.</p><p>The town was packed and they soon found Caroline, Bonnie and Matt. "Are the Mikaelsons joining us?" asked Caroline. Damon shook his head.</p><p>"no, it's not their thing."</p><p>They spent the evening watching the procession. It was impressive, and Damon laughed to himself at the look of awe on Ottilie's little face. Towards the end, Caroline announced that she, Bonnie and Matt were going to head home as they had a project due in the morning that they still had to work on. They said goodbye and Damon offered to go and buy some hot drinks for Stefan, Elena and Ottilie. He left to do so, and the other three carried on watching the parade.</p><p>Suddenly, there was a high pitched noise broadcast over the speakers. People covered their ears in discomfort. Shouts began to filter through the noise. "There's one! Grab him and take him to Lockwood cellar!"</p><p>Ottilie looked around, trying to work out where it had come from, before hearing a scream. She whirled her head around, realising that the scream had come from Elena. She was bending over Stefan who was seemingly unconscious on the floor. "oh no, Stefan!" she cried, running over to them. Elena was trying to wake him up to no avail. Ottilie, remembering the events of the other night took his hands and held them tightly. She shut her eyes and focused. A sudden sharp pain in her head told her that it was working, and she opened her eyes slightly to see Stefan starting to come round, groaning. Elena was looking at her, gobsmacked. "Elena," she managed to whisper with a huge effort. "You need to take him home, it's not safe here for him." She didn't know how she knew, but Elena didn't question her, pulling a protesting Stefan to his feet. "No," he mumbled, as she pulled him away, "Otti, no…" She let go of his hands, and dropped to the floor. The last thing she saw was Elena pulling a weakened Stefan away from her.</p><p>The men were trawling the streets, looking for those who had been affected by the noise. "Here's another!" shouted a man, standing over Ottilie. His companion followed him and gasped. "She's just a kid, how can she be a vampire?" The first man shrugged.</p><p>"It's not our job to question, just to gather them all. I've got her. You keep looking." He picked Ottilie up easily, and carried her to the Lockwood mansion, taking her down the stairs into the cellar where he dropped her carelessly onto the ground.</p><p>"That's the last of them," came the call from upstairs. "You can light it up now." He struck a match, and dropped it into the cellar.</p><p>Ottilie stirred, wondering why she was on the floor, and why her head hurt so much. She put her hand to her face, feeling blood coming from her nose. It came back to her then; she'd managed to help Stefan. She sat up, suddenly noticing the immense heat around her. Fire. She looked around, starting to panic. To her horror, she saw a familiar figure stretched out on the floor. "Damon?" she called, before beginning to crawl over to him, her body screaming in protest after having been dropped on the stone floor. She managed to get to him, and took hold of his hands, willing him to wake up. She felt the now familiar pain in her head, and fell forwards, onto Damon's chest.</p><p>Damon's eyes shot open. He looked down at the light pressure on his chest and saw Ottilie's curls splayed over it. "Ottilie," he gasped, before looking around him, taking in the horror of the scene around him. They were trapped in a basement, surrounded by screaming vampires. He lifted Ottilie's head from his chest and saw that her eyes were closed and her nose was bleeding. He wiped it away with a tissue he found in his pocket, and laid her gently down on the ground. He needed to find a way out.</p><p>The smoke was starting to build up, and the ceiling looked like it would collapse at any moment. He saw a large beam begin to shift and threw himself over Ottilie as it fell towards her. He managed to stop her being hit by it, but frowned as he noticed just how much smoke was in the air. This wasn't good for a human to breathe in. Crouching down to cradle her head, he noticed that over the roaring of the inferno, he couldn't hear whether her heart was beating. He lifted her chest to is ear, and was worried to hear her heart hammering away erratically. He lifted her head to check her breathing, and realised in horror that she was gasping for air, breathing in only smoke. Suddenly, the gasping stopped and her chest was still.</p><p>He was panicking now, and was pretty sure that had he been alive, he'd be having a heart attack of his own round about now. He laid his daughter gently flat on the ground, tilted her head back, pinched her nose and taking a gulp of air, blew it into her lungs. He watched her chest rise and fall, and repeated the action, willing it to keep her alive. "Come on, Otti," he urged, still breathing for her. To his relief, her heart was still beating, but he knew he had to get her out quickly.</p><p>He picked her up, holding her body with one arm, and pinching her nose with his free hand. He continued giving her breaths whilst he scrambled up the disintegrating stairs, hissing in pain as the flames licked his skin.</p><p>Stefan and Elena were watching the fire from outside, watching in horror. "Where did Ottilie go?" Stefan asked Elena, urgently.</p><p>"I don't know, she just told me to get you away so I did, and I saw collapse." Stefan rounded on her. "You left her?!" he almost shouted. Elena put her hands on her hips.</p><p>"I just did what she told me too!" Stefan ran his hands through his hair in desperation.</p><p>"She's just a kid, Elena, you should have taken her, not me!" Elena shook her head, vehemently. "No Stefan, it'll always be you." She replied.</p><p>Just then, Stefan heard something that made his blood run cold. He could hear. Damon. Muttering "…Otti, no, please, stay with me. Come on!" He looked towards the burning building.</p><p>"Oh my God," he murmured, "Damon and Ottilie are in there". Without any hesitation, he ran towards the Lockwood mansion. "DAMON!" he yelled, "WHERE ARE YOU?" He ran into the building and found Damon struggling, clutching Ottilie to him, trying to give her mouth to mouth. Damon looked up and saw Stefan. "She's not breathing, Stefan," he sobbed. He was exhausted still from the effects of the high pitched sound and the emotional turmoil of holding his not-breathing daughter in his arms. "Help me, please…" he begged.</p><p>Stefan took Ottilie from him and ran from the building. Damon staggered behind him, just making it out before a huge explosion ripped through the building. Stefan set Ottilie on the ground and checked her for any response. Finding her slowing heartbeat but no signs of breathing, he began giving her rescue breaths, pushing air into her lungs. "Come on, Otti," he murmured between breaths. "You can do this, just breathe," Damon collapsed next to them, his hair and skin singed. He managed to grab one of Ottilie's hands and held on to it desperately. "Elena," shouted Stefan. "Call and ambulance," She didn't seem to react. "NOW!" he yelled. She grabbed her phone and made the call, and within minutes, and ambulance was on the scene.</p><p>"What's going on?" asked a paramedic, as he knelt next to Ottilie. Stefan was still breathing for her. "She was in that building. I think she's breathed in too much smoke. She's not been breathing on her own for about 7 minutes." The medic nodded grimly and started shouting instructions to his colleagues. They put a mask over her face and started breathing for her, and Stefan sat back, exhausted. He crawled over to his brother to check on him. His face was covered in soot, only clear where tears had rolled down his cheeks. "She'll be okay, brother," soothed Stefan, holding his brother close.</p><p>The paramedics loaded Ottilie into an ambulance and they sped off to the hospital. Stefan hauled Damon to his feet. "I'm going to call Klaus or Elijah to take us to the hospital. Neither of us are fit to drive." Damon just nodded, not trusting himself to speak.</p><p>Both Klaus and Elijah arrived in record time. Without a word, they helped Damon into the back of the car. Stefan sat next to him, a comforting hand on his arm all the way to the hospital. As soon as they pulled up outside, Damon and Stefan leapt out, and the Mikaelson brothers promised to follow soon. Stefan compelled the man at the front desk to tell them where Ottilie was, and they set off to find her, knowing that Klaus and Elijah would probably do the same. They arrived where the man said Ottilie would be, and asked again for information. A nurse lead them to a cubicle where they saw Ottilie lying in bed, once again covered in wires. She had an oxygen mask on, but the brothers were relieved to see that she was breathing on her own again. "She inhaled a lot of smoke," said the nurse. "and she's obtained some minor burns, but really, she's very lucky to have made it out alive." He looked at Damon who was still covered in soot. "Did you pull her out?" he asked. "Do you need any medical treatment?" Damon shook his head, knowing that he was already healed. "No, thank you. I am unharmed." The nurse nodded, and left them to it.</p><p>A few minutes later, Klaus and Elijah burst into the small cubicle. "This is cosy," remarked Klaus. Elijah looked at Stefan.</p><p>"What happened?" he asked.</p><p>"We were at the procession when we heard a loud noise over the speakers. I think it was designed to reveal vampires as it knocked me out." Damon nodded,</p><p>"me too." He said.</p><p>Stefan continued. "Ottilie grabbed my hands and suddenly, I started waking up, and Elena dragged me away. Otti must have collapsed and been collected by someone thinking she was a vampire. They took her into the Lockwood mansion." Damon continued the story.</p><p>"I think she woke me up too, and then I found her collapsed on me, and the smoke got so thick, I had to try and find a way out. When I came back to her, she wasn't breathing so I got her out and now she's here." Elijah raised an eyebrow at them both.</p><p>"When you say she woke you up, what do you mean?" he queried. The brothers exchanged looks. "I think she might have healing powers," said Stefan, slowly. "The other day, I accidently poured vervain infused water over my hands, and when she held them, she seemed to channel the pain away and heal them." Klaus looked surprised.</p><p>"Well, that's certainly interesting," he remarked. "but what strikes me is that in less than one week, there has been two moves on vampires – vervained water, and now this attack tonight. Somebody doesn't want us here…"</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
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    <p>Ottilie was released from hospital later that week, and Damon took her home to the mansion. She was very tired but was feeling stronger each day. Arriving back at the mansion, Damon lifted her gently out of the car and carried her up to her bedroom. Stefan greeted them at the door and followed them up to her room. Carefully settling her into her bed, Damon placed a kiss on her forehead. “Rest now, little otter,” he said gently, and he sat with her whilst she fell asleep.</p><p>When he was sure that she was sleeping soundly, he walked downstairs to talk with Stefan. “Are you glad that she’s home, brother?” asked Stefan. Damon nodded, hesitating just a little. “I’m so scared that I can’t keep her safe,” he said. “I’ve not exactly done well so far, she’s been hospitalised twice since she moved in.” Stefan smiled kindly at him.<br/>
“You’re doing well, Damon. She loves you, and she feels safe with you. She’s far better off with us than she was before you found her.” Damon agreed unwillingly.<br/>
“Stefan,” he began carefully. “Do you think she’s a witch?” Stefan’s head shot up to look at him. He knew that Damon had been avoiding talking about that, and it was the first time he’d voiced what they’d both been thinking. “I can’t deny that I think she has some sort of powers, Damon” said Stefan. “I honestly believe she was able to heal me.” Damon sighed. He knew Stefan was right but he didn’t want to believe it, knowing that being a witch could bring up all sorts of problems. </p><p>Later that evening, Stefan carried Ottilie downstairs so that she could sit with them in front of the warmth of the fire. She was pale, but otherwise seemed in good spirits. “It’s very boring being on bed rest,” she said, as Stefan tucked the blankets around her. He chuckled and ruffled her hair. “I’ll bring you something to eat, Otti,” he said lovingly. </p><p>Just then, Elena walked straight into the room. Damon smirked at her. “Never heard of a doorbell?” he asked. Elena ignored him and went straight to Stefan. She looked angry, and Stefan stood up to face her. “Two days,” she said through gritted teeth. “Two days and all I’ve had are texts from you”</p><p>Stefan: Hey Elena, Otti is feeling better today. She woke up!<br/>Stefan: Hi, Otti should be home tomorrow which is good news.<br/>Stefan: Bringing Otti home today. Just thought you'd like an update.</p><p>She read out the messages, sneering at him. “You LEFT me outside the Lockwood mansion. How could you leave me? I thought you loved me?” Stefan said nothing, unsure as to how to react. “And then, you send me messages, but they’re just about some stupid, messed up kid that was abandoned because nobody cared about her!” Damon had had enough. </p><p>“Get out” he said, quietly. She turned to look at him.</p><p>“And you…” she spat, “Well she’s got you around wrapped around her little finger. You used to be so strong. Now you’re just pathetic” </p><p>Suddenly, the flames in the fire shot up, seemingly out of control. Damon and Stefan took a step back as they rose high into the fireplace. Damon looked down at Ottilie, who had her gaze fixed on the fireplace, tears streaming down her face. Stefan saw him and turned his back on Elena. “It’s not true, Otti,” he whispered gently to her, “we care about you, so, so much”. She looked up at him, and the fire died down. She could sense that he was telling the truth and she smiled up at him. </p><p>“Stop it!” came a shriek from Elena. “Just stop looking at her like that.” Damon turned to face her.<br/>
“Why?” he asked, “is it because it’s how we used to look at you? Before you became bitter and jealous about us sharing our care and affection with a child? You’re pathetic.” He said. </p><p>Elena looked from him to Stefan, before saying in a dangerous voice, “You’re going to have to choose one day, her or me.” Stefan just looked at her. </p><p>“You’re making it a pretty easy choice for me at the moment, Elena,” he said coldly. Her mouth fell open, shocked at his words. “Now, as Damon said. Get out.”</p><p>She turned on her heels and left the house. Stefan knelt down to be on Ottilie’s eye level. “Don’t listen to anything she says, Otti. I’m ashamed of her.” Ottilie nodded sadly. Then Damon asked the question,<br/>
“Otti, was it you making the flames enlarge?” She looked up at him fearfully. “You won’t be in trouble if it was, sweetheart,” he said gently. “we just need to know so that we can get help to show you how to control it.” She nodded. </p><p>“I’m sorry, it’s me. I don’t know what’s happening to me. It all started on my birthday with the candles. Now I can make things move and appear, and I think I can heal people too. What’s wrong with me?” she asked. Damon tilted her chin up to face him. </p><p>“There is absolutely nothing wrong with you,  sweetheart. But I think we need to have a little talk.”</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
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    <p>“So,” said Damon, later that evening. He and Stefan were sat by the roaring fire, both nursing a glass of bourbon. “Are you going to ask Bon-Bon for help or am I?” Stefan took a long sip of his drink, staring thoughtfully into the flames.<br/>
“You should contact her, brother,” he replied. Damon nodded and pulled out his mobile phone.</p><p>Damon: Bon-Bon, need your help. Have a bit of a magical conundrum. Fancy pancakes tomorrow morning? I'll make them just the way you like...</p><p>The reply came back almost instantly. </p><p>Bonnie: Sure, but only if you promise not to put fangs on the pancakes...</p><p>Damon smiled wryly, thinking back to when he and Bonnie had been trapped on the other side. He’d made pancakes every morning for her without fail, and there had started their long friendship.</p><p>“Do you think she’ll be alright, Damon?” asked Stefan, disturbing his brothers train of thought. Damon looked over to him and sighed deeply. How could he convince his brother if he couldn’t even put his own mind at rest? </p><p>“She has to be, Stefan,” he said slowly, placing his words carefully. “because I don’t think I could go back to life without her in it.” Stefan just nodded, understanding completely. “She’ll talk with Bon-Bon,” Damon continued, “and she’ll show her how to control her powers so that she can use them when she needs to, and how to stop them taking so much out of her.” </p><p>“And do we tell the others?” asked Stefan. He trusted his friends completely, but looked to Damon for guidance as to how they should proceed with their latest revelation about Ottilie. </p><p>Damon just shrugged. “I don’t see why not,” he said. “I suppose it’s up to Ottilie. It’s a lot of her to process and it could be that she wants to keep it to herself for now. We have to respect that.” Stefan agreed completely, but still, the biggest question on his mind was yet to come. </p><p>“Do we tell her about us, brother?” he asked, in voice barely above a whisper. Sighing heavily, Damon drained the last of his drink and stood up to leave the room. He turned back to answer Stefan, who stared still into the fire. </p><p>“I think she has enough to worry about for now” he replied.</p><p>The next morning, Bonnie arrived bright and early, a smile across her face as she bounded into the kitchen and saw Damon preparing breakfast. “Morning, Damon!” she said. He raised his eyebrows, not taking his eyes off the pancake mixture he was making. </p><p>“You’re chirpy,” he commented, dryly. Bonnie rolled her eyes at him and laughed. </p><p>“Well I’m having breakfast made for me – that hardly ever happens unless I’m trapped somewhere with some pyscho syphner and a grumpy vampire,” she teased. He laughed and started cooking the pancakes. </p><p>“So what’s the problem?” she asked, as she tucked into her breakfast, complete with fangs. Damon leant back against the counter, wondering where to begin. </p><p>“We think that Ottilie might be a witch” he said bluntly. Bonnie coughed, almost choking on her pancakes.</p><p>“You think what?!” she spluttered. “Why do you think that?” she managed, as Damon handed her a glass of water, smirking at her watering eyes from choking.  </p><p>“Well since she turned 12, she’s been having effects on flames, either putting them out and relighting them, or controlling their movements. I also think she might be able to heal people.” </p><p>Bonnie stared at him gobsmacked. “But Damon, she’s only 12. Witches don’t usually come into their powers until they’re about 16?” she countered, still in disbelief that the tiny girl she’d come to know and love as Damon’s child could be exhibiting powers at such a young age. Then she suddenly remembered; the first time she’d met Ottilie and their hands had touched, she’d felt a spark, much like that she’d feel when she touched any other supernatural being.</p><p>Damon shrugged at her. “Well I don’t know what to tell you, Bonnie, except that we saw her control the flames, and Stefan and I are pretty convinced that she’s healed us both.” </p><p>Bonnie just nodded, still in shock. “Where is she now? Does she know about any of this supernatural stuff? I’d like to talk to her if she’s feeling up to it after the fire?” </p><p>Damon stiffened at the mention of the fire. He was still reeling from the horror of that night, of holding his dying child in his arms whilst he desperately tried to breathe life back into her. He was having nightmares of the event and would wake up gasping for air in panic. The only way he could sleep again was to go to Ottilie’s room, sit next to her and listen to her quiet, even breathing as she slept. Oh how he relished just the simple sound of her duvet crinkling as it rose and fell with her chest. </p><p>He shook his head, trying to get out of that horrible mind set and saw Bonnie looking at him with concern. “Are you okay?” she asked gently. He just nodded. </p><p>“Ottilie is upstairs with Stefan. He’s helping her get ready, as she’s still a little weak. And no, she doesn’t know anything about it. Can we just keep it to witches for now? I don’t want to overwhelm her.” On cue, Stefan and Ottilie entered the kitchen, both smiling as they saw Bonnie, who nodded subtly at Damon.</p><p>“Hi Otti! How are you feeling?” Bonnie asked the pale little girl, reaching out for a hug which was gratefully returned. </p><p>“I’m feeling better thank you, Bonnie,” came the muffled reply from the hug. Bonnie sat the little girl on her knee. </p><p>“That’s great news, Otti,” she replied, warmly. “Now Damon tells me that you’ve been experiencing some unusual things since your birthday?” she asked, trying to broach the subject as gently as she could, unsure as to how Ottilie would react. The little girl nodded and looked a bit worried. Bonnie quickly moved to reassure her. “It’s okay, Ottilie. Strange things happen to me too. I’m going to tell you something now that might be a bit of a shock. I’m a witch, and I think you might be too.” Ottilie’s eyes opened as wide as saucers as she tried to take in what she had just been told. </p><p>“A witch?” she gasped, “Like a magical witch?” </p><p>Bonnie chuckled, “Is there any other kind?” she teased gently. Ottilie still looked at her in shock, not knowing what to say. Bonnie could sense this, so she carried on explaining, trying to put the little girl’s mind at ease. “I think you’ll be able to perform magic spells, and control elements like fire and water. I’m going to teach you how to control it, and how best to use it for good. Is that okay?” </p><p>The little girl nodded, in awe that her friend Bonnie was a witch. “Thank you, Bonnie,” she whispered. “Are there a lot of witches?” she asked. </p><p>Bonnie just shrugged. “There are a few, but I’ve never met one as tiny as you,” she joked. This made Ottilie smile, and Damon felt himself releasing a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Ottilie would be okay, he knew it. With Bonnie to guide and teach her, she’d be more than okay. He smiled warmly at his friend, truly grateful for her kindness and generosity with her knowledge and time. </p><p>“Now, Ottilie,” she continued. “I would suggest that you don’t show anyone at school these powers of yours, okay?” </p><p>Ottilie nodded, but didn’t understand why.</p><p>“Not everyone understands that a witch can use their powers for good, and some of your friends might be scared. You wouldn’t want that, would you?” Ottilie shook her head determinedly. She loved her friends, and the thought of scaring them upset her deeply. </p><p>“I definitely don’t want to scare them,” she said. “So only you, me, Damon and Stefan know?”</p><p>Damon nodded, and took one of her hands. “If you want to tell any of our adult friends, you can. They all know and understand about witches.” Once again, Ottilie’s mouth formed a little ‘O’ as she took in that all of Damon and Stefan’s friends knew about witches. </p><p>“Can I tell Caroline?” she asked immediately, “ooh and Klaus, and Elijah? And Kol of course!” She hopped down from Bonnie’s knee and ran over to Stefan excitedly, hopping from one foot to another. </p><p>The Salvatores shared a smile. Their worrying had been for nothing. Ottilie would be just fine.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bonnie started teaching Ottilie the following week, when the young girl had recovered sufficiently from the fire, aided by some ‘magic orange juice’. The older witch arrived at the Salvatore mansion early one Saturday morning, promising the worried brothers that she’d take good care of her. </p><p>“Please, just be careful,” said Damon, in a low voice so as not to alarm Ottilie. “We don’t know how much stress she can take before she has an attack, and we don’t know how much stress this magic is going to place on her.” </p><p>Bonnie nodded, understanding his concern, and placed a comforting hand on his arm. Smiling warmly at the man she could never have thought would have been one of her best friends, she replied, “I’ve asked Kol to come with us. I know he can’t practice magic any more, but he had his powers relatively young, and he might be able to help. If anything happens, he can vamp speed her out of there.” </p><p>Damon agreed, slightly relieved that the protective Mikaelson would be with Bonnie and Ottlile, seeing as Bonnie wouldn’t let him accompany them in case he proved to be a distraction. </p><p>Just then, they heard a car pull up into the long drive, and stop just outside the house. Kol bounded out of the deep red sports car, and greeted Bonnie and Damon. “So,” he said, “where’s our newest little witch?” </p><p>“Here I am!” came the excited cry, and a tiny human appeared, jumping up into Kol’s arms. </p><p>“Hello there, darling!” said Kol, warmly. “Are you ready to go and set some stuff on fire? You’re going to love it!” </p><p>Damon’s eyebrows shot up and he sent Bonnie a warning glance. She smirked and rolled her eyes. “She’ll be fine!” she insisted. </p><p>The three set off in Kol’s car to the forest, where Bonnie knew of a clearing with good energy that would be perfect to start Ottilie’s training. They arrived and Bonnie and Kol started setting out numerous candles in a circle in the middle of a clearing in the trees. Ottilie found a tree stump to sit on, and sat, watching them quietly as they set up the candles. She could feel a quiet, potent energy about the place, and enjoyed the tingles it was sending up her arms. Breathing in the power, she relished its electric feeling and when she released the breath, all the candles were lit. </p><p>Kol looked from the candles to the small child perched on the tree stump, his eyes open wide in surprise. “Wow,” he said. “You’ve certainly got some power in you, darling!” </p><p>The little girl smiled at him, and shrugged. Bonnie beckoned for Ottilie to come to stand in the middle of the circle of candles, and she stood up, somewhat tentatively. Encouraged by the comforting smile and nod Kol gave her, she walked slowly into the circle, gasping at the sudden influx of sensations, all vying for her attention. She shivered and looked to Bonnie for some guidance, and the older witch joined her in the candle-lit circle, taking the little girls hands in her own. Ottilie’s eyes widened as she felt the sudden flow of energy going through her body, and knew that Bonnie and her were sharing their magic. </p><p>“Close your eyes,” urged Bonnie gently, as she fought to control the wave of magic running through her from Ottilie. She was astonished at the sheer amount of power the little girl was channelling, and focused it into creating a strong breeze that caused the canopies around them to sway, and their leaves to rustle. Ottilie felt the wind and smiled, understanding somehow that she had a part in creating it. </p><p>They continued like this for some time, Bonnie channelling Ottilie’s power into magical energy whilst showing the little girl how to control it. </p><p>Half an hour later, Kol, who had taken ownership of Ottilie’s tree stump seat, called lowly to Bonnie. “Bon, it’s time to stop…” </p><p>The older witch opened her eyes, and looking down at the little girl, noticed the blood beginning to pour from her nose and her face paling. She quickly brought the energy transfer to a gentle stop, so as not to shock Ottilie’s body, and watched as Ottilie began to open her eyes. She began swaying on the spot and Kol sped over to her, catching her gently as she crumbled limply to the floor. Cradling her head, Kol softly patted her cheek, calling to her quietly. “Otti, darling? Can you hear me? You’re okay,”</p><p>Moments later, the child’s eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at Bonnie and Kol who were starting down at her, concern written all over their features. She smiled at them, and said, “That was so, so cool!” </p><p>Kol chuckled and gently helped her back to her feet, remembering how he himself had once enjoyed the majesty of the power that had manifested in him. Ottilie dug into her pocket and brought out a little packet of tissues, wiping the blood from her nose with one of them. </p><p>“Damon gave them to me,” she explained, seeing Bonnie’s quizzical expression. “He said that sometimes, when he’s seen you do magic, your nose has bled so he thought it might be the same for me.” </p><p>Bonnie smiled, surprised and happy to think that Damon had noticed that detail about magic that she’d never made a big deal about, and thankful that he’d remembered. She took the little girls hand. “Have you had enough for today?” she asked, gently.</p><p>The child nodded. “It was really fun, Bonnie. Thank you so much for teaching me, but I’m pretty tired now.”</p><p>Kol smiled down at her. “How about I text Damon and get him to meet us at the grill for some lunch?” he asked, laughing at her excited little face turning up to look at him, nodding eagerly. “I don’t know how you’re so tiny,” he teased. “I swear, all I ever see you do is eat!” She stuck her tongue out at him and challenged him to a race to the car. </p><p>He let her win, of course.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ottilie’s witch training was going incredibly well, and Bonnie had been shocked and impressed at how the young girl was able to pick up spells that had taken her weeks of practice to perfect. Ottilie generously put down her abilities and quick learning to Bonnie’s teaching skills, but Bonnie was certain that the little girl possessed great powers. </p><p>Kol attended their practice sessions religiously, living vicariously through the little girl as she discovered her magical talent, much as he had done almost 1000 years ago. He found himself yearning for the that feeling over power tingling at the ends of his fingertips once more, saddened that it would never come to be for him. And so he threw himself into helping little Ottilie master as much as she could, generously giving his time and advice whenever he could. </p><p>Damon watched proudly one day, as Ottilie showed him some of the skills she had been practicing with Bonnie, laughing in amusement as she summoned a large gust of wind to lift Stefan from his feet, before gently placing him back onto the ground. Her cheeks were flushed with the excitement and joy of what she was now able to do, and Damon thought fondly, that he’d never been happier. </p><p>There was only one person who wasn’t feeling the same delight in Ottilie’s abilities as everybody else. Elena watched from her car as the three Salvatores played together outside; Ottilie showing off her new skills and the brothers laughing and  praising her generously for them. She felt the familiar cloud of jealousy seep into her thoughts and she glared at Ottilie with nothing but pure hatred in her eyes. Life had been perfect for Elena before Ottilie arrived. She had two handsome men vying for her love and attention, and could quite happily string them both along, contrary to her protestations that she was nothing like Katherine. </p><p>She knew she needed that life back, and that she would do just about anything to get it. The fact that the thing in her way was an 12 year old child meant nothing; she was just another obstacle to be dealt with by any means. She smiled to herself, sinisterly. If she could get the child to leave of her own fruition, without any blame leading back to her, then that would be ideal. She knew that Ottilie was coping well with her new found life as a witch, but how would she cope when she found out that the brothers who had taken her in and gained her trust, were in fact lying to her; that they were in fact monsters who fed on blood; that the majority of their friends were monsters too, and that two of them were werewolves, and two were vampire hunters. She knew what she had to do, and she set to it, not considering for a moment the pain Ottilie’s departure would cause not only the little girl, but also the two brothers whose unadulterated  love and attention she so desperately yearned. </p><p>Climbing out of the car, she walked confidently over to the trio, greeting them loudly to get their full attention. She was irritated to see Ottilie immediately step behind Damon, and Damon making no move towards her, as he once had whenever he saw her. </p><p>“Elena…” greeted Stefan, uncertainly as he looked at Ottilie practically cowering behind Damon’s legs.</p><p>She smiled at them widely, the smile not quite reaching her eyes, and engulfed Stefan in a tight hug. “Hey, Stefan!” she cooed, before turning to Damon and hugging him too. Next she knelt down to be at the same level as Ottilie, and smiled at her, a sickly sweet smile that made the little girl cringe away from her, eying Elena uncertainly as she loomed over her.</p><p>“I haven’t seen you guys in so long,” Elena continued, not allowing them to get a word in edgeways, “How have you been?” </p><p>Damon was eying Elena up, looking at her strangely as if trying to work out her ulterior motive of being there. Stefan, however, smiled warmly at Elena, believing that she was there with only good intentions. Seeing his brother’s smile, Damon rolled his eyes and held Ottilie just a little closer to him. He knew that Stefan was too pure of heart to think the worst of people, unlike his cynical self. </p><p>“We’ve just been admiring Otti’s new skills,” said Stefan, grinning down at the little girl. Ottilie’s powers were no secret to Stefan and Damon’s friends, and they spoke openly with them about it, after Ottilie had okayed telling them. </p><p>Elena forced a smile onto her face and looked at the child. “I saw them as I drove in – I thought you were going to drop Stefan!” she said in a light, teasing voice. Ottilie looked horrified at the idea of hurting her beloved Uncle Stefan, as he’d come to be known. “What?” questioned Elena, seeing her expression. “It’s not like it’d hurt him…” she muttered, catching Damon’s death glare in her direction, as Ottilie looked a little confused, knowing that dropping Stefan from the height she’d lifted him would certainly have bruised him at the very least. </p><p>“She’s pretty good, isn’t she!” continued Stefan, apparently oblivious to any irritation coming from Damon aimed at Elena. “Are you coming in?” he asked Elena, “we are just about to start cooking tea.” She accepted the invitation, smiling prettily, and followed the brothers and Ottilie into the mansion. </p><p>Elena made pleasant conversation with the brothers whilst they bustled around the kitchen, preparing the evening meal and helping Ottilie with her homework that she was doing sitting at the large kitchen table. Elena offered to help chop the vegetables, and took her place by Stefan, using the large knife offered to her. She noticed Damon standing next to Ottilie with his back to her, helping her with a particularly difficult sum, and she knew this was her chance to instigate her plan. Making sure Stefan was momentarily looking away, she nicked her finger with the sharp knife, making sure to squeeze it to encourage the blood flow. </p><p>Stefan, being closest to her, immediately smelt the blood, and turned to Elena to check whether she was okay. Not even realising it, his eyes turned slightly red, and the black veins started appearing through his skin as he body reacted in the natural vampire way to human blood. It wasn’t until he felt the sting of his fangs breaking through his gums that he realised what was happening, and he turned away to face the wall, horrified to think that Ottilie might have caught sight of his vampire face. </p><p>From her spot at the table, Ottilie heard Elena’s small gasp of pain, and turned quickly, her pencil still in her mouth where she had been chewing it, studiously trying to work out a difficult question. Damon turned too, and for some reason, stepped very quickly in front of her, almost blocking her view of Stefan. Almost. </p><p>Ottilie was absolutely sure that she saw black lines appear around her uncle’s eyes, and she gasped in shock, worried that he was hurt too. She blinked, and suddenly Damon was next to Elena, running her finger under the sink, muttering quietly. Stefan, rubbing his eyes, exited the room, muttering something about “damn onions…”. </p><p>“Are you okay, Elena?” asked Ottilie, who despite not trusting Elena in the slightest, still didn’t want her to be hurt. “What’s wrong with Stefan?” </p><p>Elena smiled at her, turning to look at her whilst Damon placed a plaster, somewhat haphazardly, onto her finger. “I’m fine thanks, Ottilie. Just a silly slip with the knife. Stefan…” </p><p>Damon cut her off, glaring at her. “Stefan tried to help her but got onion in his eye. Idiot…” he said, rolling his eyes. Ottilie said nothing but turned back to her books, although she could no longer focus on them. She was convinced that Stefan’s face had strange black lines running near his eyes, but if he didn’t want to talk about, she would never ask him. After all, he never made her talk about things she didn’t want to talk about.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the rest of the week, Elena hung around the mansion, making Stefan pretty happy, Damon irritated, and Ottilie nervous. The little girl kept to herself, making sure to keep out of Elena's way and avoid any possibility of being verbally attacked by her again. Damon kept a close eye on the situation, hating that it was negatively affecting Ottilie, but knowing also that Elena made Stefan happy. It was a fine line to balance, and for once in his life, Damon found himself being the keeper of the peace – not a role he was overly familiar with, nor happy to have.</p><p>The major fall out happened a few days after the incident in the kitchen, and it unfolded exactly as the instigator, Elena, had hoped.</p><p>When Damon and Stefan had gone to collect Ottilie from school that Friday afternoon, Elena put her plan into action, aiming to plant the seeds of doubt into Ottilie's mind. Heading to the fridge where she knew Damon kept his blood supply, she took out a bag, emptied half of it down the sink, making sure to wash all trace of the wasted blood away, and headed upstairs to Ottilie's bedroom, remembering that both Stefan and Damon had been in there during that day. Opening the bedroom door, she pushed a straw into the bag, and set it onto Ottilie's desk, knowing that she would see it as soon as she entered her room. Elena smiled to herself. They'll have to tell her everything now, she thought. Checking the time, she saw that the Salvatores would be returning pretty soon, so she grabbed her stuff and headed home.</p><p>Ottilie bounded in through the front door, still excitedly telling the brothers about her day at school before informing them that she was going to head up to her room to get her homework done. Damon and Stefan left her too it, heading to the kitchen to grab something to drink. Damon headed straight to the fridge containing his blood bag stash and frowned when he opened the door.</p><p>"Stefan," he called, "Are you off bambi again?"</p><p>Stefan arrived into the room looking confusedly at his older brother, who was still examining the contents of the fridge.</p><p>"What do you mean, brother?" he asked.</p><p>"I'm missing a blood bag," said Damon. "I know I had six left this morning, as I counted them to work out when I next need to get some more. Now there are only five, and I don't think Ottilie has a taste for it…" He stared accusingly at his brother, who shook his head vehemently.</p><p>"Absolutely not, Damon. You know I'm not drinking human blood."</p><p>"Then what's happened to it?" questioned Damon, before both brothers heard a panicked cry coming from the stairs. Quickly shutting and locking the fridge, Damon ran towards the stairs, followed closely by Stefan.</p><p>They found a trembling Ottilie sat halfway down the stairs, her arms wrapped around her knees, and her face ghostly white.</p><p>Damon knelt on the stair underneath her and took a gentle hold of her arms, looking carefully at her for any sign of injury. "What's wrong, little lady?" he asked, worried by her demeanour.</p><p>Still trembling, Ottilie looked up the stairs towards her bedroom door. "There's a bag of red stuff in my room. I think it might be blood but it has a straw in it. I don't understand…"</p><p>She broke off as Stefan and Damon ran past her, up the stairs into her room, finding the missing blood bag perched on her desk, complete with missing blood and a straw. Damon scowled, trying to work out what on earth was going on. Turning to Stefan, he noticed the familiar veins, so similar to his own, starting to sneak around his brother's eyes.</p><p>Suddenly, Ottilie appeared in the doorway, gazing from brother to the other. "Stefan, your eyes!" she gasped in shock.</p><p>Stefan quickly brushed passed her, heading back down the stairs and out of the front door, leaving Damon with a confused and concerned Ottilie.</p><p>"Damon, what's wrong with Stefan? Why is that bag in my room?" She had tears forming in her eyes, and Damon noticed that her heartrate was starting to pick up as she started to panic.</p><p>He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his. "Ottilie, look at me," he said, firmly but gently. "I want you to take some nice, deep breaths for me please. We need to keep your heart steady, okay?" She nodded, and followed his directions, breathing in and out, slowly, matching his exaggerated demonstrations.</p><p>When Damon heard her heartrate start to normalise, he smiled gently at her and ruffled her hair. "Good girl," he said. "As for that, I think it's someone's idea of a practical joke. Maybe one of our friends thought this was my room, not yours, and wanted to play a trick on me."</p><p>Ottilie stared around the room, decorated with pictures of animals and other, more childish, pieces, and knew that nobody could mistake this room for Damon's.</p><p>Deciding not to press it, she asked Damon about Stefan's eyes, and he looked at her, confused. "You saw what?" he chuckled at her. "I think it was either a trick of the light, or your mind playing tricks on you! Stefan is just a bit squeamish and can't stand being around anything resembling blood." He almost laughed at the irony of his statement, but managed to keep his face looking as trustworthy as he could muster.</p><p>Ottilie didn't look convinced, but stayed quiet, watching as Damon took the blood bag from her room and left her to do her homework in peace. She didn't see Stefan until much later that evening, after she'd had her dinner and was about to go to bed</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elena was feeling frustrated. Her plan to reveal the supernatural world to Ottilie in a bid to scare her out of the Salvatores' lives forever was so far, not working. The little girl was still very much living in the mansion, tiptoeing around when Elena was there, avoiding her at all costs. Not that Elena minded. She despised the child and the fact that she had stolen the brothers' full attention from her.</p><p>Luckily for Elena, she still had one more trick up her sleeve, which she planned to put into action that weekend.</p><p>It was Saturday night, and Elena, Damon and Stefan were in the kitchen, all helping to make pizzas for their evening meal. Damon had been teasing Ottilie, telling her that he and Stefan made the best pizza because of the recipe that had been handed down to them from their Italian predecessors, and Ottilie was extremely excited to try it.</p><p>Elena was cutting up pizza toppings ready for them to decorate their pizzas with. Here we go, she thought, initiating her plan.</p><p>"Damon," she said, in her sweetest voice that signalled she wanted something from him. He huffed, turning towards her. "Could you go and find my bag and bring me the pot of seasoning that I've put in it? It's so good on pizzas. And Ottilie, could you go to the other room and bring me another onion?"</p><p>Damon shrugged and sped off, searching for a bag that Elena knew he wouldn't find, followed shortly by Ottilie. Taking a deep breath, she picked up a knife, and checking that Stefan wasn't watching, she plunged the knife she was holding deep into her arm, gasping in pain and sliding to the floor. She heard Stefan rush over to her, taking her gently in his arms, just as he used to. He looked around, checking that Ottilie was not in the room before quickly biting into his wrist and holding it to Elena's mouth</p><p>Just then, both Elena and Stefan heard a little gasp of horror. Ottilie had walked into the kitchen to find her Uncle and Elena, both seated on the floor, with blood dripping from Elena's arm, and from around her mouth where Stefan's wrist was. The little girl took a trembling step back away from them, backing accidently into Damon who was staring grimly at the scene in front of him.</p><p>"Otti…" he started, his mind whirling as he tried to think of a way to explain this to a child. The little girl stepped away from him and ran past him towards the front door of the house, knowing that she had to escape to safety.</p><p>Stefan left Elena, now healed, in the kitchen and followed Damon as they both ran over to her. She held up her hands and both brothers were suddenly frozen, unable to move. They could hear her shuddering breath as she panicked, terrified of the two men who she'd loved the most. Giving them one last, heartbroken look, she ran from the house.</p><p>It was at least 10 minutes before the immobilising spell wore off, and not once did Elena come to check if they'd managed to calm Ottilie. She was too busy cleaning her blood from the kitchen, thrilled that her plan had worked.</p><p>Ottilie ran towards the woods as fast as she could, remembering wryly how she had once before run towards the woods with no idea where she was going or what she'd do. Her mind was racing in time with her legs as she tried to think what had happened, what Damon and Stefan were. It was raining hard and she was soaked through in seconds, the water seeping through her clothes.</p><p>The brothers, once released from the little witch's spell, made straight for the front door, calling out for her. Damon was fuming, shouting at his brother, "What the hell do you think you were doing?"</p><p>Stefan yelled back, "Elena was dying, I had to do something!"</p><p>They ran straight into the rain, looking and listening for any signs of Ottilie, and shared panic-stricken looks when they found none. "I'll take the main road," instructed Damon, "You look in the woods. She can't have gotten too far in the few minutes we couldn't move. Call me if you find anything." His brother nodded grimly and sped off, searching for the little girl he now called his niece.</p><p>Stefan headed into the woods, calling frantically for Ottilie. He couldn't even imagine the terror, heartbreak and pain she must be feeling right now, having witnessed what to her would be such an unnatural event. He was kicking himself for not being more careful, but Elena was injured, and he had to heal her. The rain was even heavier now, and he could see his breath in the air as he exhaled.</p><p>He focused in on his hearing, trying to find any trace of a human heartbeat to track, but found nothing. She must be further away than we expected, he thought, grimacing at the idea that she'd been running as fast as she could for so long, and what that might mean for her heart condition.</p><p>He ran further into the forest, noting how the ground became uneven, and tree roots made for uncertain footholds. He stopped again, once more listening for any sign of life, turning quickly towards it as he picked up the sound of a human heart. It was beating furiously and unevenly, and he started to panic again as he sped towards the source of the sound.</p><p>He found her curled up into a ball on the ground, her light blue dress clinging to her skin, soaked through. Her lips were tinged with blue, whether from the cold or from her difficulty getting air in, he couldn't say, but he rolled her quickly onto her back and tilted her head back so that she could breathe easier.</p><p>Sucking in a ragged breath, he realised that his fingers were coated with blood, and he quickly checked her over for injuries, finding a long, deep scratch across her side, and an open wound on her head. He felt for his phone and called Damon.</p><p>"I've found her, Damon. In the woods. Meet me in the house, I'll bring her now." He heard his brother give a sigh of relief.</p><p>"Is she okay?" Damon asked, before his blood ran cold on hearing his brother's answer.</p><p>"No."</p><p>Stefan gathered the little girl into his arms, grimacing at the sound of her laboured breathing and racing heart. He sped as carefully as he could back to the house, anxious to get her warm and her injuries treated.</p><p>Damon was already in the front room placing a stack of towels on the floor, next to the rug in front of the fire. On seeing Stefan arrive, he sped over to him and grabbed Ottilie from him, cradling her to his own chest. He set her gently down on the rug in front of the fire, and started checking her pulse and breathing.</p><p>"She's having one of her attacks, isn't she," he said quietly, feeling her heart flutter under the palm of his hand. Stefan just nodded and left for the kitchen to get the first aid kit and some warm water to clean away Ottilie's blood.</p><p>He headed back to Damon and Ottilie and asked, "Where's Elena?"</p><p>Damon shrugged, and replied bitterly, "Gone. I suppose she didn't want to see the aftermath of her stupidity."</p><p>Stefan frowned at his brother. "This isn't her fault," he argued, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle.</p><p>Damon ignored his brother's comment. "I brought down some of Ottilie's pyjamas. Help me change her out of these wet clothes."</p><p>The brothers quickly put Ottilie into her pyjama top and bottoms, and hissed as they saw the long cut across her ribs. Damon gently cleaned and bandaged it whilst Stefan worked on the cut on her head, cleaning away the blood and using steristrips to hold the wound together. All the while, both brothers kept a careful ear on Ottilie's heartbeat and breathing which, in a few minutes, was back to normal.</p><p>Ottilie started to stir, and Damon felt his heartbreak watching his little girl grimace in pain as she came round and started to feel the full extent of her injuries. Her eyelids fluttered open and she stared up at Damon and Stefan with such fear in her green eyes that Damon felt tears well up in his own.</p><p>"Otti…" he began, before he was interrupted by a tiny, forlorn little voice.</p><p>"Please, don't hurt me," she whispered, trembling as the looked at her.</p><p>And Damon felt his heart break all over again.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Damon was officially frightened. It had been over 24 hours since Stefan had brought Ottilie back to the mansion, and she was yet to say a single word to them. They'd done everything they could to keep her calm and safe, save of compelling her, which Damon refused to even consider, but still the little girl remained motionless and speechless in her room. They'd sit with her, one at a time, holding her hand and whispering soothing words to her, promising that they'd never hurt her and that she'd be safe with them, but she just stared up at them from her position in her bed, with big, scared eyes.</p><p>The following evening, Damon went upstairs to Ottilie's room to take her something to eat, her previous plates remaining untouched. He was scared for her, knowing that already being so tiny, she could not afford to miss meals. His fears doubled, however, when, opening Ottilie's bedroom door, he found her a shivering, quaking mess, bundled up in her bed covers. He set the food down and ran over to her, taking her face in his hand and frowning at the heat radiating off it. He felt her forehead, trying to gauge whether she had a fever, and found it to be coated in a cold sweat.</p><p>Calling for Stefan, he quickly pulled the covers from her, apologising as she shivered uncontrollably, feebly attempting to hold onto them. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we've got to cool you down," he spoke softly, still mindful not to scare her.</p><p>Stefan arrived in Ottilie's room, and taking one look at her, went to get his old, long forgotten medical bag. Returning with it in his hands, he set it next to Ottilie's bed. "Never thought I'd be using this," he joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere, and taking out a little glass thermometer, popping it gently into Ottilie's mouth. He instructed her to keep it there whilst he checked her pulse.</p><p>Taking the thermometer back from Ottilie, he frowned as he read the result. "She's burning up, Damon. We need to lower her temperature. Can you get me some very cold, wet towels?" His brother sped off, and Stefan gently moved some of Ottilie's hair from her clammy forehead. "Don't worry, Otti. We'll take care of you and make you feel better soon, okay." She didn't reply, but seemed to stare straight through him, and Stefan just hoped that she wasn't starting to hallucinate as a result of her high fever.</p><p>Damon returned and together, they gently wrapped the little girl's limbs and torso in the cold towel, being extra careful around her bandaged ribs, and grimacing as she pulled away from them, whimpering at the cold that was almost painful against her burning skin. "I'll give her something to try and bring her temperature down," said Stefan, "and then she'll just have to sleep this off. We'll keep an eye on her, of course. If it goes too high, she'll need to go to hospital. I wonder whether she's just caught a chill from being out in the rain yesterday?"</p><p>Damon nodded, remembering back to a time in his youth when a simple chill could kill off the unlucky victim, but knew that with modern medicine and knowledge, Ottilie would be absolutely fine. He sat with her all night, replacing the towels with new, colder ones when her burning skin warmed them into ineffectiveness, and holding her hands as she tossed and turned in her sleep.</p><p>The next morning, Damon was snoozing in a chair next to Ottilie's bed, and was awoken by a tiny voice whispering, "Damon?" His eyes shot open and he saw Ottilie, still grasping his hands, staring at him, her eyes standing out in her pale, tired face.</p><p>"Otti," he leaned in closer to her, and kissed her hand gently, "how are you feeling sweetheart?"</p><p>She smiled faintly at him, and replied, "I'm feeling a lot better thank you."</p><p>He pressed his hand to her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief, finding it cooler to the touch than it had been. "Otti," he said, softly. "Stefan and I need to talk to you about what happened yesterday, and about some stuff that we've been keeping from you and why. But firstly, I need you to know, I promise that you will never, ever come in harms' way from Stefan or I. You're our family and we love you very, very much. No matter what, we would and will do anything to protect you. Please believe me."</p><p>Ottilie looked at him whilst he spoke, and seeing the aura around him pulsate with trustworthiness and love, clasped his hand a little tighter in hers. "I know, Damon," she said, quietly, earning a surprised look from Damon. "I thought about it whilst you were sleeping. I'm sorry for running away. It was stupid of me. I know that you and Stefan won't hurt me – I'm ashamed that I was scared of you, I'm so sorry."</p><p>She looked like she was about to cry, and Damon scooped her up out of bed to sit her on his knee, rocking her backwards and forwards, gently. "You had every right to be scared of us, Ottilie. We've been keeping secrets from you, and that's not right. But I promise you, we kept them only with the intention of trying to reduce your stress. What with finding out you're a witch, you didn't need all the extra hassle of finding out about us."</p><p>The little girl stared seriously at him. "You're a vampire, aren't you? And so is Stefan?" He just nodded. "Like the ones from my stories, but nicer?" Again he nodded, chuckling this time.</p><p>"Don't get me wrong, little lady. We are nice enough now, but we haven't always been the charming gentlemen that you see in front of you." He teased her, whilst trying gently to tell her that both he and Stefan had changed for the better.</p><p>"Are there any other vampires here?" she asked, choosing not to press on Damon's previous statement.</p><p>Damon gulped, nervous now to tell his little girl about the supernatural beings he called his friends. "Yes Otti, there are quite a lot. But they are like me and Stefan – good vampires."</p><p>"Who?" came the reply. Damon's time was up.</p><p>"Well Elijah, Rebekkah and Kol are very special vampires – they were the first ever vampires. Caroline is also a vampire, but quite a new one."</p><p>She nodded, digesting this information before asking, "What about Klaus?"</p><p>Damon grimaced, here we go, he thought. "Klaus is what we call a hybrid. He is both one of the original vampires, and a werewolf."</p><p>"Werewolf?!" she gasped, "Like the one I saw in his garden? That wasn't him, was it?"</p><p>Damon shook his head, "no Otti, it wasn't him, he'd never hurt you, but he was able to get rid of it because he is a werewolf himself. A werewolf's bite is deadly to normal vampires like me." The little girl held him a bit tighter at that statement, and buried her head into his chest.</p><p>"Who else?" she asked, her voice muffled by his shirt.</p><p>"Well Tyler is also a werewolf, Bonnie's a witch, as you know, and Alaric and Jeremy are hunters – someone whose mission it is to kill vampires. But they don't kill their friends." He added, hastily.</p><p>"What about Elena?" she asked, quietly.</p><p>"She's human," he answered, shortly. His patience with Elena was wearing thin at the moment, and the mere mention of her name irked him.</p><p>The little girl merely nodded before swivelling on her spot on his knee, placing a tiny hand on each of his shoulders, and saying so seriously that he might have laughed, had the following sentence not come out of her mouth. "I don't care what you are, Damon. You saved me, and you care for me, and I love you."</p><p>Damon was lost for words for a second, before regaining his composure and pulling her closer to him. "I love you too, little otter" he whispered into her ear, happiness and adoration running through him in waves, only to be interrupted by the sound of her stomach rumbling. "You must be starving, little lady" he teased. "You haven't eaten in a couple of days. We're going to have to change that, can't have you wasting away again!"</p><p>He lifted her easily into his arms, still being delicate around her injuries, and raced with her down the stairs, the small girl giggling uncontrollably. "Let's see what Uncle Stefan's made us for breakfast" he joked.</p><p>"Uncle Stefan," came his brother's voice, "has been slaving away over the stove to make you your favourite pancakes." Ottilie giggled again and ran over to Stefan, hugging him tightly around his waist.</p><p>"I love you, Uncle Stefan," she whispered quietly to him.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elena was fuming. Her carefully laid plan to scare Ottilie away from the Salvatore brothers had backfired, and now the little witch was closer to them than ever. She’d done everything she could – leaving a blood bag out for Ottilie to stumble upon, dropping suspicious comments, trying to reveal Stefan’s hard to control blood lust, and even stabbed herself, but to no avail. That horrible little girl still had a hold over her boys. </p><p>Ottilie, for her part, was growing stronger and stronger, practicing her magic whenever her busy schedule would allow, Bonnie and Kol were extremely impressed with her control; she was able to execute complex spells perfectly, although it seemed to take a toll on her small body. Damon was often called by a frantic Bonnie to come and collect the little girl after a particularly heavy spell. </p><p>Damon worried constantly for his little lady’s safety regarding her witchcraft. Every time he got a phone call from Bonnie or Kol, he wondered if that was to be the one bringing him the news he feared the most – that she’d gone one step too far and her heart had given out. She was so young, he couldn’t lose her yet. Not ever! But he knew that the magic was a part of her, and that learning to control it was best for her in the long run. And so, he kept turning up after each phone call, sometimes to sigh and pick up his unconscious daughter, sometimes to gently wipe the blood from her nose and hold her shaky frame steady as he led her to the car. </p><p>Stefan was trying to keep things going with Elena, although at this point, he wasn’t really sure why. He was desperately trying to see her as she once was – a sweet, gentle girl who was kind and generous; not at all like the bitter, jealous woman she was now. It was for the older Elena that he kept seeing her – although it was always at her house that they’d spend time together, never at his. His heart ached for the what he thought was the love of his life. Perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be, he mused as he walked to Elena’s house one day, finding himself forcing a slower pace so as to postpone his arrival. </p><p>It was a Saturday evening and Ottilie and Damon were sat in the living room, talking animatedly about a book Ottilie had both read recently. Damon was arguing that reading was boring, and a waste of time, whilst Ottilie was adamant that reading was one of her favourite things to do. </p><p>There was a knock at the door, and Damon went to open it quickly. “Oh hello,” he said, his face instantly turning to a scowl as he saw who the visitor was.</p><p>“Hi Damon,” said Elena brightly. “Can I come in?” </p><p>Damon smirked and stood to one side, gesturing patronisingly that she should enter. “Stefan is out, spending time with Bambi” he told her, knowing that she would get his meaning. </p><p>Elena just rolled her eyes and glared back at him. “Actually,” she pouted, “I’m here to talk to you.” </p><p>He shrugged at her, as if indicating at her to get on with it. </p><p>“In private,” she added, sending a glance over in Ottilie’s direction, who’s head was buried in a book. </p><p>“Fine…” sighed Damon, as if making out that she was asking the world of him, and he turned to go towards the kitchen.</p><p>“No,” she said, gesturing towards the door that lead downstairs to the cellar. “Down here,” she said, and he followed her down. </p><p>Minutes later, Elena came back up the cellar stairs and shut the door firmly behind her. “Where’s Damon?” asked Ottilie, looking up from her book. </p><p>“Oh, he’s just sorting something downstairs,” replied Elena, keeping her tone of voice light, “He said he won’t be long. Actually, he asked me to make you a drink. Would you like a hot chocolate?” </p><p>The little girl looked over her book, warily at Elena, wondering where this new found friendliness was coming from. “Um, yes please,” she said, still a little apprehensive. </p><p>Elena disappeared into the kitchen, returning promptly with a huge mug of hot chocolate which she handed to Ottilie. “Here you go, Otti!” she said, “Enjoy!” Ottilie thanked her and took a sip of the drink, relishing it’s chocolatiness, and noticing another, new flavour that she’d never had before.</p><p>“Thank you, Elena, it’s really nice!” she said, smiling up at the older girl. “I’ve never had a hot chocolate like this before – it’s tastes a little different to the ones I’ve had that Damon or Stefan has made?” </p><p>Elena nodded, “This one is made with darker chocolate – it’s quite intense, isn’t it!” She laughed, kindly. “Otti, I wanted to show you something that Stefan showed me ages ago when he and I first met. If you go up to the top of the house, you can see the stars really clearly through a skylight there – do you want to see? I thought you’d like it?” </p><p>Ottilie grinned at her, genuinely thrilled that Elena was being so kind to her – maybe this was a new point in their relationship! She took a big gulp of her hot chocolate which was at the perfect drinking temperature now, and Elena chuckled, </p><p>“Just bring it with you, Otti – you’ll make yourself feel ill if you try and drink it all now!” She teased, taking the little girl by the hand and leading her up the stairs. Ottilie felt her heart starting to speed up, and put it down to excitement about going somewhere in the massive mansion that she’d never been before. Up and up they climbed, up the main staircase, then a smaller, more rickety one, before finally, Elena told her to put her empty mug down as they needed to go up a ladder. </p><p>Elena went up first, pushing open a window that opened straight up onto the roof, and pulled Ottilie up behind her before shutting the window firmly. “I didn’t know we’d be up on the roof,” said Ottilie, a little nervous. She was starting to feel a little unwell now – her hands were feeling clammy, she was finding it hard to catch her breath, and her heart was racing, not from excitement now, she was sure. </p><p>“Oh don’t be a wimp,” said Elena, suddenly back to her sneering voice, and she pulled Ottilie along behind her, treading carefully along the uneven roof, and standing her on a particularly precarious point next to one of the chimneys before leaving her there and retracing her steps back towards the window. </p><p>At that moment, Stefan appeared from his time hunting, and stopped as he heard a whisper, “Perfect timing!” that sounded a lot like Elena. He scanned around him, looking for her, when his hearing honed in on the sound of a terrified, racing heartbeat. Otti… he thought, suddenly panicking. </p><p>“Don’t think about moving,” came a nasty, sneering voice that sounded so cold and menacing compared to the voice of the one he used to love. “It’s time to choose, Stefan.” </p><p>He looked up and saw Elena, standing dangerously close to the edge of the roofline of his house. “What are you doing, Elena?” he asked carefully, “Where’s Otti?” </p><p>She shrugged, “She’s around,” she said, nonchalantly. “Like I said, it’s time for you to choose. Soon I’m going to jump off this roof, and Otti, who is currently enjoying a huge caffeine rush, is going to probably have one of her attacks and fall too. And you’re going to choose who to save.” She smiled triumphantly and Stefan took a step forwards, “nuh-uh, Stefan, you wait just there or I’ll use this little knife here, and then we will see how well you control that pesky blood lust, shall we?” </p><p>Stefan stopped in his tracks. “DAMON!” he yelled. </p><p>“Oh Stefan, your brother is vervained and tied up in the basement, and I broke his neck for good measure. He won’t be helping you any time soon.” She laughed.</p><p>“Why are you doing this, Elena?” Stefan asked through gritted teeth, staring at her whilst still trying to keep an eye on Ottilie who was deadly pale and shaking, gasping for air. </p><p>“Because I love you, Stefan,” she replied, “and you love me. We’re meant to be together, I know it. We have so much together, and she’s in the way. She’s distracting you from the most important thing in our lives – us.” Elena looked at Ottilie, and seeing that the little girl was on the brink of passing out, stepped right off the roof. </p><p>Stefan’s stomach lurched and he took a step towards Elena, just as he saw Ottilie start to slip. He could only save one of them – he knew that his diminished vamp speed from consuming only animal blood would stop him from vamping to them both. But before he had to make his decision, Elena was suddenly hovering in the air, no longer in freefall. Stefan stared open mouthed before catching sight of his niece holding on to a jutting out part of the roof with one hand, the other hand held out towards Elena. He realised that she was slowly lowering Elena to the ground and watched in awe as she did so. </p><p>Stefan suddenly felt a whoosh of air next to him and he turned to see Klaus and Elijah next to him. “You can let go now, love,” called Klaus gently up to Ottilie. The little girl shut her eyes and Elena fell straight down into Klaus’ arms. He sped off with her into the house, taking her down to the cellar. </p><p>Ottilie, exhausted from the magic and in the grips of a huge tachycardic episode, passed out, lost her grip and began to fall, gracefully and lightly, her tiny body limp and lifeless. Stefan caught her gently in his arms and lowered her onto the ground, quickly accompanied by Elijah who fell to her side. “How did you know,” asked Stefan, checking Ottilie over for injury. </p><p>“Damon sent us a message that Elena had attacked him and left him in the cellar. We feared she might be planning something so we came over at once.” Elijah replied, taking the tiny child’s wrist and feeling for a pulse. “This isn’t good, Stefan, I’ve never felt it going this fast before.”</p><p>Stefan shook his head. “Let’s get her inside,” he said, and scooping her up, ran straight for the house. He set her once again on the rug beside the fire, and tilting her head back, made sure that her airways were clear. </p><p>Klaus appeared from the basement, supporting a weak looking Damon who was sipping at a blood bag. “Ottilie,” gasped Damon, quickly putting down the blood and running to the little girl lying lifeless on his living room floor. </p><p>“The bitch gave her a load of caffeine,” said Klaus, watching the little girl carefully. </p><p>“Well that’s not good!” Damon almost shouted, taking her face in his hands and stroking her cheeks. “Come on, little lady, wake up please!” </p><p>Just then, Ottilie’s muscles began to stiffen, and her entire body started shaking uncontrollably. “Shit!” swore Stefan, “she’s starting to seize – she’s been having this attack for too long,” he continued, holding her head carefully to the side and instructing Damon to move the furniture away from her so that she couldn’t injure herself.</p><p>“Klaus, call an ambulance. How long since the attack started?” asked Elijah, urgently.</p><p>“At least 10 minutes,” answered Stefan grimly, “I think it must have started as soon as she drank whatever concoction Elena made for her. Damon, in the medicine cupboard, there’s a defibrillator that Elijah made me get. Fetch it, please.” </p><p>Damon sped off, looking like he was going to be sick at any moment, and returned with the small box. Elijah took it from him and knelt with Stefan next to Ottilie. Klaus handed Damon a glass of bourbon which he downed shakily, before kneeling next to his daughter, whose seizure had stopped but was now lying eerily still.</p><p>Elijah starting unpacking the defibrillator, and put the two pads in right position under Ottilie’s shirt. Pressing the ‘on’ button, the machine whirred on and started searching for a pulse. “Shock advised” came the chilling, computerised voice. </p><p>“Everybody stand back,” instructed Elijah, and Klaus pulled Damon away from holding his little girl. Elijah pressed the button on the machine and Ottilie’s tiny body lurched as the shock was administered. </p><p>“Analysing heart rhythm,” said the machine. It was at that point that Elijah and Stefan noticed that Ottilie had stopped breathing. </p><p>“Stefan…” began Elijah.</p><p>“No, no…” gasped Stefan, leaping into action and tilting the little girl’s head back, giving her a rescue breath. </p><p>“Pulse detected, shock advised” stated the machine again. Once more, Elijah instructed everyone to stand back before pressing the button. As soon as the shock had been delivered, Stefan continued breathing for Ottilie, grimacing as her heart showed no sign of slowing or evening out. </p><p>The ambulance arrived one more shock later, and the paramedics jumped out of the vehicle urgently, knowing that a young child was on the brink of cardiac arrest, and was already in respiratory arrest. Elijah quickly told them about Ottilie’s medical background whilst Stefan kept giving Ottilie breaths until the medics took over. They loaded her carefully into the back of the ambulance, and sped off, leaving the four men to shakily get themselves together and form a plan of action. </p><p>“We’ll drive you to the hospital now,” said Klaus, grabbing Damon’s shoulder and leading him to his car. Getting in, they sped off, following the ambulance all the way. </p><p> </p><p>It was 30 minutes before they were allowed to see her, and walking in to her hospital room, Damon thought that he would break at any moment. Ottilie was lying in a bed, surrounded by tubes and wires connecting her to machines that Damon had never seen before. Her eyes were closed and her skin was grey. Stefan took hold of his hand, firmly, letting him know that he wasn’t alone and he smiled slightly at his brother. “She’ll be okay,” he heard him whisper, so quietly that he knew that only he would hear it. </p><p>The nurse who had followed them into the room starting to speak, “Well she’s doing surprisingly well, although it may not seem like it right now. When she arrived, she wasn’t breathing for herself, and it took another two shocks and some medication to reset her heart to beating normally. But we think she’s through the worst of it now. Do you have any idea what might have brought on this strong of an attack?” she asked, gently. </p><p>Stefan spoke up. “We think she accidently had some caffeine,” he explained, careful to leave out the magic part of the event. Damon’s eyes narrowed at the word, ‘accidently’.</p><p>The nurse nodded, “well as you know, it’s imperative that she doesn’t consume caffeine. For someone with her condition, it could be fatal.” The two brothers nodded grimly and she left them to it. </p><p>Taking one of Ottilie’s hands each, the sat by her bed as she slept, both of them willing her to wake up and smile her sweet little smile at them.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Salvatore brothers spent the next two days by Ottilie’s bed in the hospital, waiting for and willing her to wake up. She looked so frail, thought Damon, as he sat holding her hand gently in his, hating himself for letting her come to so much harm. How can a child go through so much before her 13th birthday? He sighed, wondering why it was taking Stefan so long to get the coffee that they both desperately needed after 48 hours of hardly any sleep and intense worry. </p><p>All of a sudden, Damon noticed a change in the sound of Ottilie’s breathing, and he looked quickly at her, searching for any signs of distress. Instead, he saw her eyes start to open, and she gazed blankly around the room, still unmoving. She finally made eye contact with Damon, and smiled faintly, her eyes the only colour in her otherwise white face. </p><p>“Otti,” Damon whispered, grasping her hand a little tighter, and gently stroking her hair with his free hand, “Can you hear me sweetheart?” The little girl gave no indication that she had heard, save for blinking up at him and smiling a little stronger. “You’ll be okay, little Otter,” coaxed Damon, softly, “You’ll come back to me, won’t you? I love you…” He swore he felt her little hand tighten around his, and then she was asleep again. </p><p>Stefan returned 15 minutes later, and Damon turned to face him, grinning from ear to ear. “She woke up!” he said incredulously, as a delighted Stefan placed the coffee cups carefully down on a table in Ottilie’s room and ran to her other side to grasp her hand  that was not clutched in Damon’s. </p><p>“Hey, Otti?” said Stefan, leaning close to his nieces head and placing a soft kiss on her cheek, “Wakey wakey, you’ve been asleep for ages now!” She stirred again and Stefan looked across at Damon excitedly. “That’s it, baby, come one!” encouraged Stefan, rubbing her hand gently. The little girl’s eyes fluttered open and she stared at the both, apparently confused about where she was and why she was there. </p><p>“Morning, sweetheart,” said Damon, gently moving some hair from her face, “how are you feeling?” </p><p>Ottilie tried to speak but starting coughing, having not used her voice in a few days, and Stefan quickly grabbed a glass of water whilst Damon gently moved her to be sitting, propped up against the pillows. He tucked a blanket that Caroline had brought to the hospital for Ottilie around her and Stefan helped her to drink from the glass, as she was unable to hold it with her shaky hands. </p><p>Having taken a few sips, the colour was already starting to return to the little girl’s face, and she looked with more focus at the tired faces of her family. “What happened?” she asked quietly, almost afraid to know the answer. </p><p>The brothers exchanged glances, and it was Stefan who answered, sounding nervous and unsure as he stroked the back of his niece’s hand absentmindedly. “Elena gave you some coffee, Ottilie. The level of caffeine in it caused you to start having one of your attacks, and then she dragged you up onto the roof. She wanted me to choose who to save – you or her. Do you remember?” </p><p>The little girl nodded but kept quiet.</p><p>“Elena jumped from the roof, but you stopped her from falling and lowered her until Klaus arrived to catch her. The combination of the caffeine and using your powers was too much for your heart and, well…” Stefan’s voice cracked as he struggled to continue with the story. </p><p>Damon came to his rescue, leaning over Ottilie’s bed and putting a comforting hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Then you fell, Otti, and Stefan caught you and he and Elijah brought you inside. The attack was really bad. You had a seizure and you stopped breathing. We thought we were going to lose you for a second, but you’re so strong sweetheart. You’re so strong and you fought so hard and you’re still with us.” </p><p>Suddenly overcome with emotion, Damon pulled his gently into his arms and held her close to him, relishing the sound of her steady heart and breathing, now knowing just how quickly they could go. Stefan stroked Ottilie’s hair, appreciating the moment and the relief he felt, knowing that Ottilie was now on the mend. </p><p>A few minutes later, the brothers noticed Ottilie’s breathing slow slightly, and deepen, and realising that she had fallen asleep, Damon placed her gently back into her bed, and they tucked the covers around her, along with the little teddy that the Mikaelsons had dropped off for her the day before.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Can I come home today, Damon?” asked Ottilie, desperately bored of the hospital room she’d been cooped up in for a week, not to mention the food she was required to eat. She was finding it hard to cope and had no appetite, and the nurses would chide her for not managing to eat all her dinner.</p><p>“I’m going to talk to the doctors today, sweetheart” said Damon, gently stroking some hair from her face as he sat next to her bed that she’d been confined to for so long. He was concerned that being in the hospital was doing her more harm than good; he knew they were keeping her in to try and get her weight up, but she hated being there so much that she didn’t want to eat. It was a vicious cycle, and one that he needed to break. </p><p>He stood up, explaining that he was going to talk to some doctors and promised to return as soon as he could, leaving the little girl watching him as he exited the room. He took his phone from his pocket and called Stefan, wanting confirmation that what he was about to do was indeed the best, and right thing to do for his daughter.</p><p>“Stefan, hi,” he said, when his brother picked up. “I really think that Ottilie needs to come home – she’s not coping in hospital anymore. She needs familiar surroundings and decent food.” He could tell that Stefan was thinking, pondering the implications of taking Ottilie out of hospital only a week after her illness. </p><p>“Do it, brother,” was his answer. “She’s out of any immediate danger, and with Elena… sorted… we can keep an eye on her here.” </p><p>Damon smiled to himself, “Ah yes, the lovely Elena. I wonder what she’s doing now…”</p><p>Stefan could almost hear his smirk down the phone. “Damon…” he said in a warning tone. </p><p>“See you later, brother,” replied Damon, putting his phone away and looking around to find one of the doctors who’d been caring for Ottilie. Finding one, he walked over to them, and looking them straight in the eye, compelled them to get Ottilie ready for going home, sign her release papers, and ward off any questions from other staff members. The doctor simply nodded and set to work, signing papers, giving them to Damon to countersign, and writing out prescriptions. </p><p>It had been decided that due to the severity and increasing number of her attacks,  Ottilie would begin on a low dosage of a beta blocker medication to try and reduce her symptoms and prevent any serious episodes. </p><p>Damon took the prescription from the doctor, and followed her into Ottilie’s room, where she started to detach the child from the myriad of monitors she was connected to, and to remove her IVs. Ottilie looked up at Damon with big, excited eyes, knowing that this meant she was indeed going home. </p><p>“She’s good to go,” said the doctor after a few minutes of last minute checks, and Damon thanked her as she left. </p><p>Taking a bag from the locker in the tiny room, Damon opened it to reveal some clothing that he’d brought for when Ottilie could leave. “They’re your escape clothes,” he joked, getting them out and placing them on the bed. He helped Ottilie remove the enormous hospital gown and get into a comfortable t shirt and some leggings, noticing how they were now hanging off of her when just a week ago, they’d fitted perfectly. </p><p>“We’ve got some work to do, little lady,” he said firmly, as he pulled a jumper, now enormous, over her head. “You’re far too tiny for an 12 year old! I’m going to text Stefan to get cooking!” She giggled and clung to him as he picked her up, slinging the bag, already packed with her things, over his shoulder. “Time to go home, little otter,” he said, softly. </p><p> </p><p>They arrived back at the mansion and Damon carried Ottilie back inside, calling for Stefan to come and say hello. “Otti!” cried Stefan excitedly, running over to them and grabbing her from Damon’s arms. “How are you feeling?” </p><p>She smiled at him, although she suddenly looked very tired. “I’m okay, Stefan,” she said, “I’m so happy to be home!” </p><p>Damon saw Ottilie looking suddenly very pale and drawn. “I think the excitement has worn you out, sweetheart. Stefan, can you take her to bed? I’m going to go and collect the prescription. We will wake you up when it’s time for food, okay?” Both Stefan and Ottilie nodded, and Damon left.</p><p>Later that evening, the brothers were cooking up a storm in the kitchen, excited for Ottilie to eat her first home-cooked meal in a week, when they were interrupted by a scream. Speeding upstairs, they found Ottilie gasping for breath and clutching her chest, tears streaming down her face out of her closed eyes. They raced over to her and Damon lifted her effortlessly into his arms. </p><p>“Otti,” he urged, shaking her shoulder slightly, “Otti, wake up!” Her eyes shot open and she dragged in a shaky breath as she felt her heart racing. “Deep breaths, sweetheart,” encouraged Damon, demonstrating what he wanted her to do. “Come on, you can do it,” he coaxed softly as she struggled to match his slower breathing. </p><p>Finally, she was calmer and the brothers were relieved to hear that her breathing and heartrate were almost back to normal. “What happened, Otti?” asked Stefan gently, holding her hands. </p><p>“I had a bad dream,” she whispered tearfully, “I’m sorry for making a fuss,” she added, sniffling. </p><p>“It’s okay, do you want to talk about your dream?” said Damon, kindly. </p><p>“I was up on the roof and Elena pushed me and I started to fall,” she said, hesitantly, not wanting to upset Stefan by bringing up Elena. </p><p>Stefan looked away, deeply upset that the once love of his life could cause his little niece so much pain. He felt her little hand grip his a bit tighter, and looked back at her with his mouth set in a grim line. </p><p>“Otti,” he said, “I promise you, Elena will never, ever, harm you again. Damon and I took care of it.” She nodded at him, and leaned from Damon’s arms to give him a hug.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>THROWBACK: 3 days after Elena had attacked Ottilie…</p><p> </p><p>Elena had been locked in the cellar for some time now, sitting in miserable silence, refusing to speak to anyone or give reasons for her terrible actions. Klaus had locked her in that night, and Rebekkah brought her food regularly, making sure to provide Elena with all of her least favourites.</p><p>The day that Ottilie woke up, the brothers were finally relieved enough to talk about what to do about Elena. Damon was all up for drastic action, but Stefan argued that Ottilie wouldn’t want Elena harmed. </p><p>The third day that Elena was in the cellar, she was visited by Stefan for the first time, and she went straight to the bars of her cell, trying to get as close to him as she could. “Stefan…” she whispered, longing in her voice and on her face. “Stefan, you’ve come to see me, I knew you’d let me out.”</p><p>Stefan ignored her words, asking bluntly and without any show of emotion, “how could you, Elena?” She looked at him, slightly shocked by the lack of warmth in his voice. “How could you hurt her? She’s just a child!” </p><p>At this, Elena smirked. “Exactly,” she spat, “just a child that has consumed your every waking minute.” </p><p>Stefan shook his head. “you know that’s not true,” he said. “I loved you, Elena” he said sadly. </p><p>“That’s why I did it, Stefan!” she cried, “because I love you! We’re meant to be together forever, no distractions – just us two!”  </p><p>“You’re crazy!” he  said, shocked at her outburst. “If you loved me, you would have known that hurting my niece would hurt me!” </p><p>She laughed manically, “your niece?” she sneered, “She’s not your niece, she’s just some pathetic, broken waste of space that Damon found abandoned in the woods. If you ask me, the woman she lived with before had the right idea kicking her out…” </p><p>“That’s just it, Elena,” said Stefan, in a low voice. “I don’t ‘ask you’, and I never will again.” Suddenly taking her by the shoulders, he looked straight into her eyes, starting the compulsion, knowing any vervain she’d had in her system was long gone since she’d been locked up. </p><p>“You’re going to leave Mystic Falls, and you’ll return just once a year to see your family and friends. You did something terrible, but you don’t know what. All you know is that you hurt the Salvatore family and that they’ll never forgive you. You’ll be sad about it, and you’ll feel guilt for the rest of your life, but you’ll never come anywhere near me, Damon or Ottilie ever again.” </p><p>He opened the door of her cell and stood back, watching as the effects of the compulsion took over. She looked at him, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, before running from the cell, never looking back.</p>
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<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 26</p><p>Damon looked down at Ottilie as she slept soundly, relieved that she was now resting better than she had been when she first came back from the hospital. Watching her chest rise and fall gently, he remembered her nightmares, the screaming and heart wrenching hyperventilating that accompanied them, the sobs as she clung to him for dear life, begging for reassurance that Elena was indeed out of their lives. <br/>“Do you trust me, little lady?” he’d said gently, smoothing her curls from her clammy forehead after one of her nightmares. She’d nodded, sniffling, “then I promise you, she is gone, and she can never hurt you again.” Reassured, she’d fall asleep quickly, exhausted by the nightmares and her recent health scare. <br/>Damon sighed; if only reassuring Stefan was so simple. His brother was wallowing in guilt that he’d let things get so far with Elena, and that he’d trusted her with his little niece, which almost resulted in the worst possible outcome. Like Ottilie, he was having nightmares, but he never told Damon what they were about. Night after night, he relived catching his weightless niece from her fall from the roof, carrying her into the house and having to try and get her breathing again. And it was all his fault. He could barely bring himself to visit the little girl in her room where she had been recuperating for the past week. Damon had been strict on preventing her from overexerting herself, and so he waited on her hand and foot, taking her meals, her schoolwork, books etc to keep her occupied. Stefan had been to see her once before the guilt of her pale face and frail frame became too much and he had to excuse himself, leaving the room almost in tears.  <br/>“Damon,” asked Ottilie one morning, as they sat in her room reading. “Have I done something to upset Stefan?” <br/>Damon looked up sharply and moved from his seat by the window to perch on the edge of her bed, setting his book down next to hers. “Stefan is very upset about what happened with you and Elena, Otti,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “But he is definitely not upset with you, okay?” <br/>The little girl nodded. “Can I see him? If he doesn’t want to come and talk to me, maybe I could go and talk to him?”<br/>Damon scrunched his nose up, thinking fast about how to deal with her request. He really didn’t want her up and about yet, and the doctor had been adamant about her not walking any further than to the bathroom and back, which she was only just managing. <br/>“I’ll talk to Stefan,” he said gently, “I’m sure he does want to talk to you! He’s just been very…busy… at the moment.” Busy beating himself up about her… he thought, wryly. </p><p>Later that afternoon, Damon found Stefan in the kitchen, preparing a meal for Damon to take up to Ottilie. “Why don’t you take it up?” asked Damon, keeping his tone light. His brother shook his head. <br/>“She won’t want to see me, Damon. I’m the reason that she’s stuck up there.” <br/>Damon scoffed, “You’ve no idea, brother, do you? She’s been asking to see you all week! She’s desperate for her uncle. She thinks you’re cross with her!” <br/>Stefan looked up from the food prep, shocked. “Why would she think that?” <br/>Damon shrugged, “Well I don’t know, Stefan,” he said sarcastically, “let’s think – she’s bed bound, you haven’t been to visit, and…. Oh I know – she’s 11 and can’t think of any other reason why when she’s ill,  her favourite uncle won’t go to see her! I’m going out for the afternoon – take her the food!!” He threw his hands up, exasperated and left the room, leaving Stefan to continue making the food, deep in thought. </p><p>Having finished the meal and laid it out on a tray, Stefan took a deep breath before starting to climb the stairs to Ottilie’s room. He knocked lightly on the door, and heard a quiet reply, “Damon? I’m really sorry, I…” He opened the door quickly, worried now, and found Ottilie sat on the floor of her room, seemingly unable to get back up again. <br/>Her face lit up on seeing him. “Uncle Stefan!” she cried happily. <br/>Stefan set the tray of food down and hurried over to her. “What are you doing on the floor, baby?” he asked gently, checking to see whether she was hurt. <br/>Ottilie bit her lip and looked guiltily at the floor. “Well, I was trying to practice walking again, as I can’t go very far at the moment. And I wanted to walk to find you.”<br/>Stefan swallowed stiffly, the guilt resurfacing that she had risked being hurt again for him. “I’m so sorry, Otti,” he said sadly, gathering up her gently and carrying her back to bed. “I’m so sorry that you keep getting hurt because of me.” <br/>She looked up at him, her little face a picture of confusion as she tried to understand why he thought it was his fault. “Because of you?” she asked.<br/>“I should never have trusted Elena. She treated you so badly, and has ever since she met you. I should have put an end to it earlier and this,” he gestured to her sitting in bed, “would never have happened.”<br/>“But you love her,” replied Ottilie, as if it were the most simple thing in the world, and the reason to do anything. <br/>“Loved her,” corrected Stefan. “I could never love her again after what she did to you. You and Damon are the most important people in my life, Otti, please never forget that.” <br/>She smiled and threw her arms around him. “And you and Damon are mine!” she whispered happily into his ear. <br/>“Right, let’s get you fed!” said Stefan, handing her the tray of food, which she looked at in delight. “You are even tinier than normal – if you’re not careful, I won’t be able to see you anymore!” He teased her as she took a big bite of her meal, grinning contentedly as she tasted it. <br/>Stefan turned to leave to her to, before a question suddenly sprung to mind. “Otti,” he said cautiously, “why did you save Elena? You most of known that stopping her from falling would have caused you to fall?” <br/>Ottilie paused from devouring the delicious food and looked straight at him. “I knew that you couldn’t save us both, and I didn’t want you to have to choose between us. So I chose for you so you wouldn’t have to feel any guilt.” She shrugged as if it were the simplest thing in the world, and returned to eating. <br/>Stefan stared at his little niece in shock. How could someone so young understand such a dire situation, and make such a profound, selfless decision? Lost for words, he said the only thing he felt that he could without bursting into tears. “Thank you, Otti. I love you.” He said quietly, leaving the room before she could see him cry. <br/>“Love you too, Uncle Stefan!” came her little voice after him.</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was late before Damon came home, having spent the afternoon with Alaric in the grill playing snooker. He'd talked at length with is best friend about everything happening with Ottilie and Stefan, and Alaric was able to offer advice and encouragement that Damon was for once, very grateful for.</p><p>"I'm just worried that the guilt Stefan is feeling is going to set him down a path that is hard to get him back from – you know what I mean," said Damon, sending Alaric a knowing glance.</p><p>His friend nodded. "You're worried he's going to go off the rails, drink human blood then return to his ripper ways" he concluded, voicing Damon's exact concerns. "Maybe you should do something to pre-empt it?" he suggested.</p><p>"Well if you have any ideas, feel free to share – I'm all out of them!" said Damon, exasperated, downing the rest of his drink.</p><p>Alaric looked thoughtful. "Actually, I might just have an idea that could work!"</p><p>"I'm listening…"</p><p>"When Stefan goes off the rails, who is it who always gets him back on track?" he said, giving Damon a look, knowing that he knew the answer.</p><p>"Lexi…" said Damon, thoughtfully. "I need to call Lexi to see if she can get Stefan through this before he loses it. Cheers, Ric" he said, smiling gratefully at his friend. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he made a call to Lexi, explaining as succinctly as possible what was happening, and begging her to come to Mystic Falls.</p><p>Ending the call, he smiled smugly, and replaced his phone into his pocket.</p><p>"Well?" enquired Ric.</p><p>"She's on her way!" said Damon triumphantly, before ordering another round of drinks.</p><p>When he returned home, Damon went straight up to one of the numerous spare rooms to prepare it for Lexi's imminent arrival. "Damon?" he heard his brother call, "what are you doing in there?"</p><p>Stefan entered the room and Damon smirked at him, "we have a guest arriving. If I'm not mistaken, any… moment… now…." The doorbell rang, and Stefan raised his eyebrows at his brother, trying to work out what had planned before speeding downstairs to open the door.</p><p>"Lexi!" Damon heard his brother's delighted cry and smiled to himself. That old softie… he thought.</p><p>Opening the door to his best friend who he hadn't seen in so long, Stefan felt tears of happiness prick behind his eyes before he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "I'm so happy to see you, Lexi," he said softly.</p><p>Pushing him away, she glared at him playfully, "You adopted a little girl, and you didn't think to tell me?!" she said in mock anger.</p><p>Stefan smiled ruefully and shrugged, "sorry… I guess things got hectic! I can't wait for you to meet you."</p><p>Lexi smiled at him kindly. "Damon told me briefly about everything that happened. I'm really sorry to hear about Elena. If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn't have seen that coming either."</p><p>Stefan felt relief wash over him. Finally he could talk to someone about what was plaguing him and giving him nightmares. He knew he could have talked to Damon but he didn't want to upset him, and knew that by him bringing it up, he'd be forcing Damon to relive it all over again.</p><p>"Let's go for a walk," suggested Lexi, sensing that he needed to talk without ears overhearing, on purpose or otherwise.</p><p>"But it's dark?" said Stefan, confused.</p><p>"So? Don't tell me a vampire like you is afraid of the dark…" she teased before grabbing his arm and pulling him out.</p><p>Once safely away from the house, Lexi opened up the conversation.</p><p>"So, what's on your mind? Spill!"</p><p>Stefan sighed and looked away from her, not trusting himself to keep the tears back that were threatening to escape. "I just feel so damn guilty, Lexi," he said. "Ottilie means everything to me, and I can't believe that she almost…" he swallowed hard, "you know… died… because of me and my inability to see Elena for what she really was."</p><p>"She had us all fooled, Stef," said Lexi gently.</p><p>"But she was horrible to Ottilie for so long, and we just kept brushing the issue under the carpet. And it all resulted in what happened last week. I keep seeing it happen, every time I close my eyes, it happens all over again."</p><p>Lexi took his hand gently. "What do you see?"</p><p>Stefan cleared his throat, trying to buy himself a tiny bit of time before he shared one of the darkest moments of his life. "Otti didn't want me to have to choose between her and Elena, so she chose for me and stopped Elena falling. Otti was already suffering because Elena had given her a load of caffeine which resulted in her becoming tachycardic. Then to do such a big spell, it was too much for her little body," Stefan wiped away a stray tear, "and she started to fall, but only once she knew Elena was safe. I managed to catch her but she'd already passed out. Once we got her inside, she started having a seizure which was just horrific, and then we had to shock her heart with a child defibrillator that Elijah told me to get a few months ago. I just felt so helpless, and she looked so broken and tiny and the shocks were making her whole body shake but it wasn't helping. And then she stopped breathing whilst I held her."</p><p>He broke down now, sobbing into his hands as Lexi rubbed his back comfortingly. "She stopped breathing , Lexi, and she was so still. She looked like she was dead, and I had to try to resuscitate her. I've never had to do that to a kid before; it was awful. She didn't breathe for so long, and then she went to the hospital and although she's home now, she's so weak and frail. And it's all my fault!"</p><p>Lexi felt tears running down her own face; being an empath, she felt Stefan's pain as if it were her own. "Stefan, does Ottilie blame you?" Stefan shook his head. "Then you don't get to blame you either. The victim here is your niece, and we blame who she blames. From what Damon told me earlier, she desperately needs you, and loves you so much. How can you accept that unconditional love when you refuse to love yourself? Nobody could have foreseen what Elena would do, and you saved her, Stefan, you brought that little girl back from the brink of death at the hands of a mad woman. You did nothing wrong concerning the incident. What is wrong, however, is you leaving that child lying alone in her room, wondering what she did wrong to drive you away from her."</p><p>Stefan only nodded at her, accepting, understanding, but most importantly agreeing with her words. Taking a deep breath, he decided that he could forgive himself for not dealing with Elena sooner, but he wouldn't forgive if he upset his niece any more. He pulled Lexi into a hug. "Thank you, Lexi" he whispered, beyond grateful that she'd listened to him and put his mind at rest.</p><p>The pair walked back to the mansion in companionable silence, walking through the front door to be greeted by Damon, sat with his customary glass of bourbon. "Ah, you're back. Nice little moonlit stroll?" he teased, smirking at them both. "Lexi," he said, looking at her properly for the first time. "It's really good to see you," he said sincerely. "Thank you for coming." They smiled warmly at each other before Stefan announced that he was heading to bed. They all bid each other good night, and Stefan showed Lexi to her room. As his head hit is pillow a little while later, he sighed as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders, and that was the first night he slept without any nightmares.</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The following morning, Damon was up bright and early, preparing some fruit to take up to Ottilie. She was slowly regaining her strength, and he made it his mission to get as much good food into her as he could, even though she had such a small appetite at the moment. Slicing up some pineapple, he thought back to the previous evening, when Stefan and Lexi arrived back from their walk. He could already see that Stefan looked lighter somehow, as if a weight had been lifted from him, and Lexi, stunning as ever with her long blonde hair and twinkling eyes.<br/>
He shook his head, forcing a laugh at himself. – what on earth was he doing thinking about Lexi’s hair and eyes. Pushing the thoughts from his mind, he focused on his culinary tasks, chopping away furiously and arranging the pieces into silly faces in a bid to make his little girl laugh.<br/>
Just as he was finishing up, Lexi and Stefan walked into the kitchen, laughing about something he didn’t quite catch. “Morning Damon,” said Lexi, cheerfully, helping herself to a cup of coffee from the freshly brewed pot on the side.<br/>
“Morning Lexi, sleep well?” Damon replied, trying to keep his tone light and breezy, staring fixedly at the fruit he was chopping up instead of her shining hair, damp from the shower.<br/>
“Yeah good thanks, I’m really looking forward to meeting little Ottilie today. Would it be okay for me to go and see her in her room at some point?”<br/>
Damon shrugged. “Sure, you can come with me to give her some breakfast, if you’d like?” he offered, looking at Stefan who nodded at him, smiling.<br/>
The three of them ventured up the tall, winding staircase, Damon holding the tray laden with fruit, and the stopped outside of Ottilie’s door. “She’s still asleep,” said Damon, hearing the sounds of  steady breathing and heart beats coming from inside the little room. “I’ll go and wake her up, can you guys wait here?” The other two nodded and waited in the now open doorway, watching as Damon walked over to the little girl who was bundled up in her duvet.<br/>
“Otti, sweetheart,” called Damon softly, not wanting to frighten her awake. She stirred, sleepily rubbing her hands over her eyes and smiling up at Damon. “Hey little lady! There’s someone here to meet you!” She looked over to the door, only then noticing it was open and Stefan was there with a lady that she didn’t know.<br/>
“Hello, Ottilie,” said the lady, smiling widely at her. She had a good aura, thought Ottilie, as she got closer. It was bright, almost dazzling, and full of warmth and goodness. “My name is Lexi, and I’m a friend of Stefan’s. And Damon’s!” she added quickly, catching the scowl sent in her direction from Damon.<br/>
“Hello,” said Ottilie, shyly, “it’s nice to meet you.” She smiled up at the lady who sat in a chair near to her bed.<br/>
“Stefan and Damon have told me so much about you! I feel like I already know you!”<br/>
Ottilie giggled and looked a little closer at the beautiful woman sitting in front of her, admiring her long blonde hair and stunning hazel-green eyes that twinkled at her from her good natured face.<br/>
“How do you know Damon and Uncle Stefan?” Ottilie asked, summoning up the courage to talk to the stranger.<br/>
Damon shoved the plate of fruit at Ottilie, inwardly pleased when he saw her light up at the sight of the fruit faces he’d made, her nose crinkling up in delight as she smiled. “Eat up, please” he ordered, moving towards the back of the room to stand with Stefan.<br/>
“Well Stefan and I have been best friends for years, and I suppose Damon is okay too…” she teased, turning her head to pull a face at Damon who rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.<br/>
“And are you a vampire too?” asked Ottilie, so innocently that Damon almost burst out laughing at the ludicrousy of such a question asked with such acceptance.<br/>
Lexi smiled back at her, “yes sweetheart, I’m an even older vampire than Damon and Stefan, so if they get on your nerves and you need them sorting out, you come to me, okay?” she teased, hearing Damon scoff behind her.<br/>
Ottilie giggled, and turned to look from Damon. “Can I get up today?” He looked uncertain, worried at the thought of what that might mean for her. “I feel much better today, I promise! Just for a little bit?” she pleaded, her big eyes melting Damon’s heart and resolve.<br/>
“Fine,” he sighed heavily, “But not for long, and you’re not walking downstairs – I’ll carry you down, okay?” She nodded readily, excited at the thought of leaving her room after so long. Stefan and Lexi left Damon to help Ottilie get ready – he would carry her into the bathroom and wait further down the corridor, far enough to give her privacy, but close enough that he could still hear and monitor her heartrate.<br/>
Just as he carried a washed and dressed Ottilie back into her room, Lexi reappeared brandishing a hairbrush. “Would you like me to do your hair?” she asked Ottilie, who smiled delightedly and nodded, clasping her hands together in excitement. No one had ever done her hair before, and as much as Damon and Stefan cared immensely well for her, they weren’t exactly able when it came to long hair.<br/>
Lexi sat behind her, gently brushing the little girl’s curls. “You have such beautiful hair, Otti!” she said kindly, “How would you like me to style it?”<br/>
The little girl asked her to do whatever she wanted with it, and Lexi set to work, braiding it loosely to keep it out of Ottilie’s face, but leaving some shorter pieces to frame it prettily.<br/>
“There we go,” she said, finishing the second braid. “You look gorgeous, sweetheart!”<br/>
Ottilie beamed at her and thanked her for doing her hair. Damon came back into the room just as Lexi was leaving and she spoke to him in a voice so low that Ottilie wouldn’t be able to hear. “She’s so cute, Damon, I love her already!” He smiled back at her, completely agreeing. “Did you say she’s 12?” she asked.<br/>
Damon nodded, “almost 13 actually…” he said, suddenly realising.<br/>
“She’s just so tiny!” she explained, finding Ottilie’s age hard to comprehend with her tiny stature.<br/>
“She’s perfect!” countered Damon, “Sure she could do with a bit of weight on her, but she’s been ill – it’s hardly surprising! She’s just naturally small for her age.”<br/>
Lexi held her hands up in defence, “Hey, I didn’t say it was a bad thing. I think she’s perfect too!”<br/>
He smiled, relieved that she hadn’t been having a go at him about Ottilie’s weight, and felt ashamed that he’d assumed as much.<br/>
“Sorry, Lexi,” he said, “It’s a sore subject.” She smiled at him, and left him to it. </p><p>Later that morning, Damon went up to fetch Ottilie to carry her downstairs so that she could walk around a little. She was sat up in bed, excited at the prospect of leaving her room after so long.<br/>
“Come on then, you” said Damon, picking her up carefully and carrying her out of her room and down the stairs. Setting her gently on her feet in the living room, he steadied her as she swayed a little, still a little weak. He took one of her hands and Stefan took the other, and they slowly walked laps around the room.<br/>
“You okay, Otti?” asked Stefan after their third lap, noting that the little girl hadn’t spoken for some time.<br/>
She nodded, “I’m just concentrating,” she said. “This is much more difficult than I remember!”<br/>
Damon smiled and ruffled her hair, “well it’s been a while, little lady. You need to get your strength back up – all those muscles have wasted away!”<br/>
Lexi appeared in the room and clapped her hands, smiling at the little girl. “Yes Otti!” she cried, “look at you go! You’d give Damon here a run for his money at that pace!” Ottilie giggled.<br/>
“Time for a break,” announced Damon, steering Ottilie towards the sofa before lifting her gently into it. “I don’t want you to overexert yourself. We don’t know what that new medication really means for you yet, do we?”<br/>
The little girl shook her head. “I guess not, but I can feel my heart going so much slower than before!”<br/>
Damon frowned a little, wondering if that was supposed to happen, and focused in on the sound of the steady, slower thump of her heart, noticing that Stefan and Lexi were also doing the same. It was certainly a lot slower, he thought, but also more steady, which was surely a good thing? He’d always felt a little concerned by the occasional skips and flutters he’d often heard before.<br/>
“I think we just need to be careful that your blood pressure doesn’t dip too low,” said Stefan, who had been thinking along the same lines as his brothers. “No standing up too quickly, Otti,” he instructed, as she shuffled down the seat of the sofa to stand again.<br/>
She was quicker this time, able to complete a few laps of the room in half the time she had before. Damon smiled down at her, happy with her excitement and pleasure at walking again. She was talking animatedly about where she’d like to walk next, and Damon and Stefan let go of her hands, enabling her to walk unassisted for a few minutes, which she did happily.<br/>
Suddenly, her happy chatter petered out, and Damon looked up sharply to focus on her. Her tiny frame was swaying and he saw her knees start to give way. He sped over to her, narrowly beating Stefan to catch her. “Oopsy daisy,” he said gently, steadying her with one hand around her waist and the other cradling her head. “Otti, look at me,” he instructed. His daughter stared up at him with closing eyes, trying her very best to keep them open.<br/>
Damon looked up at Stefan who was hovering over them, worriedly. “She’s fading fast, Stefan,” he said, noting her very slow heartbeat. Just then, Ottilie’s eyes closed and she fell limp in Damon’s arms as he looked at her in horror.<br/>
“Lexi, can you go and grab some water and something sweet please?” asked Stefan with some urgency in his voice. His best friend sped out the room.  “Damon, lie her down here. We need to get the blood circulating back up to her head.” He felt his nieces neck for a pulse, frowning at how slow it was and the pallor of her face. He pulled a chair up to her and lifted her legs to rest over them, trying to encourage the blood flow back to her head.<br/>
“I think she’s just fainted, Damon,” he said, trying to calm his own worries as well as his brother’s. “I wonder if those beta blockers are actually slowing her heartrate down so much that she’s struggling to keep her blood pressure up.<br/>
Damon stared down at his daughters face and sighed. He’d ring the doctor that afternoon to ask their advice, but for now, he stroked the little girl’s hand, willing her to wake up and smile up at him.<br/>
Just as Lexi arrived back with a glass of water and a chocolate bar, crouching next to Damon by Ottilie’s side. “Is she okay?” she asked with genuine concern as she handed Stefan the glass and put the chocolate bar down on the floor.<br/>
“Stefan seems to think she’s fainted due to low blood pressure,” said Damon, going on to explain about her new medication.<br/>
Just then, Ottilie began to stir, her eyelids fluttering as she came to. She suddenly tried to sit up but Stefan gently caught her shoulders and eased her back down to the floor, resting her head on a cushion that Lexi had brought over from the sofa. “Easy, Otti,” he soothed, “you’re okay, you just fainted. You just need to stay down for a few minutes, okay?” His niece nodded at him, her face still ghostly white.<br/>
After a few minutes, Stefan instructed Damon to lift Ottilie to a sitting position so that she could lean against him. Damon sat down and settled Ottilie to be sitting between his legs with her back against his chest. From this position, he was able to hold her steady to him, and feel the gentle thud of her heart against his own chest which he found reassuring. Stefan tucked a blanket around her and helped her to sip from the glass of water as her hands were still too shaky to hold it.<br/>
Lexi waved the chocolate bar at her, and her face lit up. “Ooh is that for me?” she said, excitedly.<br/>
Damon laughed, stroking some of his daughters hair away from his own face where it had been tickling his nose. “Yes little lady, but don’t make a habit of fainting just so you get chocolate. I don’t think my old heart can take much more of that!”<br/>
She turned to look up at him, laughing. “But Damon,” she countered, “you’re immortal?”<br/>
Grabbing the chocolate bar from Lexi and unwrapping it, he broke a bit off to give to her. “Stop being so clever and eat your chocolate,” he teased, secretly relieved to see the colour starting to return to her cheeks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So she won’t be on any medication at all?” asked Damon, talking quietly into the phone, unable to mask the concern laced into his voice.<br/>
“Well she was already on the lowest dose that we could give her and that was too much as you know. Unfortunately, she’s too small to cope with the amount of medication required to deal with the severity of her heart condition” replied the doctor, knowing full well that this was not the answer Damon wanted to hear.<br/>
“So what do we do now?” asked Damon, dreading the reply.<br/>
“We have a couple of options,” said the doctor, carefully. “I’m going to refer her to a colleague of mine, Dr Josette Laughlin, as I’m going to be leaving this hospital soon and I think she’ll be able to help you monitor Ottilie. Option one is to just let things be – the risk of attacks is as high as it ever was, but with careful consideration, they can be avoided. The only other option we have right now is surgery, but I’m loath to put her through something so traumatic after her recent trauma.”<br/>
Damon swallowed, dread seeping through him as he considered the options laid out before him. “I’ll talk to Ottilie,” he said quietly.<br/>
“Of course,” replied the doctor kindly. “I’m going to get Dr Laughlin to give you a ring to introduce herself.”<br/>
Damon thanked the doctor, and ending the call, ran his fingers through his hair, sighing.<br/>
“Damon?” came a little voice. Ottilie walked into the room, looking at him in concern and noting his strained features. She’s been off the beta blockers for a few days now, and was already feeling much stronger, and was relishing not passing out every time she stood up.<br/>
“What are you doing up, little lady?” asked Damon, quickly masking his face with a bright smile, yet knowing somehow that she’d see straight through it.<br/>
“I heard you on the phone, Damon,” she said seriously. “I heard you talking to the doctor. What did he say? Please tell me the truth, I’ll know if you don’t.” She gave him a warning look.<br/>
Damon sighed; sometimes he wished that Ottilie’s powers weren’t so attuned. She could tell just by the aura she saw around someone whether they were telling the truth or not. “He said that we could either go back to where we were before -  avoiding stress etc, or you can have surgery.”<br/>
His daughter’s shoulders sagged a little, and leaned over to her to pick her up, holding her to him. “I don’t want surgery, Damon,” she said quietly. “I’ve only just started feeling better.”<br/>
Damon’s own heart broke for his little girl, who already at the tender age of 12 had gone through so much. “Sweetheart, the decision is yours, and I’ll support you whatever you decide, but we need to know all the facts before that, okay? The doctor is getting a new doctor to call us, and we will ask her lots of questions, then you can make an informed decision, alright?”<br/>
She nodded, burying her head into his shirt.<br/>
Stroking her hair tenderly, Damon tried to think of a way to distract her. “Shall we go out for the day?” he asked, pleased as her head pulled away from his chest and she smiled up at him.<br/>
“Ooh okay!” she replied, excitedly.<br/>
“Why don’t we go to Hampstead?” he asked, thinking of the quaint little town, not so far from Mystic Falls but that would provide Ottilie with a change of scenery. His daughter agreed and went upstairs to get ready for the day, arriving back in record time dressed in jeans and a jumper. They got into Damon’s Camero and set off for Hampstead.<br/>
When they arrived, Damon helped Ottilie out of the car and taking her by the hand, they walked into the town centre. Damon knew there was a market on and thought that Ottilie might want to have a look around it, knowing how she loved looking at trinkets and antiques.<br/>
They passed the morning sipping hot chocolate bought from one of the stalls, and Ottilie dragged Damon to look at every single stand in the market, determined not to miss a single one out. Damon happily obliged, simply pleased to see his daughter more herself.<br/>
They were sat on a bench on the outskirts of the market, watching the busy movements of the shoppers and vendors. Damon was telling Ottilie about the markets he’d seen in France over 100 years ago, and was lost in his memories that he almost missed Ottilie tensing suddenly next to him. Looking down at the frozen little figure sat next to him, he followed her fixed gaze to a woman stood under the canopy of one of the stalls.<br/>
“Otti?” he asked with concern, suddenly noticing the quickening pace of her heartbeat, “Otti, what’s wrong?” He got down from the bench, crouching in front of her and taking her face in his hands, breaking her gaze from the woman. “Take some deep breaths for me, sweetheart,” he said gently, but some urgency underlying in his voice. “Come on, copy me,” he exaggerated his breathing and was slightly relieved to see Ottilie attempting to follow him.<br/>
Tears started to pour down her face, and she looked at him with terror in her eyes. “Damon, I can’t breathe…. Damon….” She was gasping now, shoulders heaving with the effort to get air in and her eyes kept flitting back to focus on the woman.<br/>
Damon grabbed her chin gently and turned her face towards him, “Otti, you’re okay, you just need to take a deep breath.” She obliged, sucking in a shaky, shallow breath. “That’s is sweetheart, and another one please.” Again, she tried her hardest and found this breath to be a little easier.<br/>
“You’re doing so well, sweetheart, just keep breathing for me. You’re safe, okay? Nothing and nobody can hurt you here.” She nodded, tears still streaming down her face as she took in more breaths, each one slightly easier than before as the panic began to subside.<br/>
“What’s wrong, little Otter?” he asked gently, “Can you tell me what’s scared you?”<br/>
She looked dead into his eyes and with her bottom lip trembling, she whispered so quietly that even he barely heard her. “It’s her, it’s the lady I used to live with”<br/>
Damon felt his stomach flip and he turned to look at the woman, still by the stall, arguing with the vendor. Turning back to his daughter, he held her protectively in his arms. “Ottilie Salvatore, I promise you this. That woman will, never, ever hurt you again. Not as long as I am alive.”<br/>
She giggled tearfully, and he was thankful that she got his little joke regarding his immortality. He listened in to focus on her heartbeat, and was visibly relieved to hear it slowing. “Well done, sweetheart,” he said softly, “your heart sounds much better, you clever girl.” She was holding tightly onto him, her hands gripping his jacket for dear life, and he felt a sudden wave of protective anger wash over him. What had this woman done to his little girl that had scarred her so much, not just physically but emotionally. He saw the physical scars on her little body all too often, but the emotional scars were rarely seen, so happy she was now with her new life.<br/>
He got up to move, needing suddenly to go and confront this woman, and hurt her in some way like she had hurt his daughter. “Where are you going?” cried Ottilie in alarm, sensing his movements as he gently detangled himself from her clutches.<br/>
“I need to have a word or two with this horrible lady,” he replied grimly, standing and turning away from her.<br/>
“No, please!” He turned back, hearing her forlorn little cry. “Please don’t leave me, Daddy,” she cried, her voice barely audible as sobs wracked her tiny body.<br/>
Damon stopped, stunned into silence, before racing back over to her and holding her so tightly that part of him worried he might hurt her. “I’m sorry, Otti, I’ll never leave you. Let’s go home, hey?” He lifted her and carried her back to the car, careful to avoid the woman who hadn’t noticed any of the goings on near her.<br/>
Arriving back at the mansion, he looked across at her from the driver’s seat to see that Ottilie had fallen fast asleep, her face still red from her tears, but looking more peaceful than she had earlier. He carried her into the house, shaking his head at the alarmed looks on Stefan and Lexi’s faces, trying to ward off their questions.<br/>
Tucking her into bed, he kissed her gently on the forehead. “I love you, little Otter,” he whispered, before leaving her to rest.<br/>
“What’s happened, Damon?” demanded Stefan, who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, standing next to Lexi who had her arms crossed over her chest and a look of concern on her face.<br/>
“We went to the market at  Hampstead and she spotted the lady who took her from the orphanage. She had a panic attack but she managed to avoid having one of her attacks, you know…” he indicated briefly to his heart. Stefan nodded.<br/>
“Are you okay, Damon?” asked Lexi, gently laying a delicate hand on his shoulder, “That must have been really hard for you too.”<br/>
Damon nodded stiffly, not trusting himself to speak as Stefan handed him a much-needed glass of bourbon and led him to one of the sofas.<br/>
Taking a sip of the strong drink, he looked at the two concerned faces in front of him. “She called me ‘Daddy’”, he said, suddenly unable to contain the smile that spread across his face as he finally allowed himself to consider what that meant to him.<br/>
Lexi’s hands flew to her face in shocked delight, and Stefan grinned at him, tears of joy threatening to fall. “That’s amazing, brother,” said Stefan generously, “She really loves you, you know.”<br/>
Damon nodded, still unable to voice his happiness. Stefan and Lexi moved to sit either side of him on the sofa, and the three of them chatted happily until Stefan stood to go to bed.<br/>
“I’m going to stay up a little longer,” said Lexi, “fancy a film, Damon?” she asked, missing the raised eyebrows of surprise that Stefan was now sporting. He knew there wasn’t much love lost between his brother and Lexi, and was surprised that she seemed to be willingly offering to spend more time with him than absolutely necessary.<br/>
Damon shrugged,  “sure,” he replied. “You pick, I’ll go and make us some popcorn.” Stefan’s eyes followed his brother from the room as he watched in shock, before he shrugged and  made his way to bed. </p><p>The following morning, Stefan came downstairs to head out to hunt in the early hours before too many humans were awake. Walking through the living room, he spotted Damon lying fast asleep on the sofa, with Lexi laying peacefully on top of him, his arm around her waist and her head tucked under his chin. What on earth is going on, he thought, before deciding that it was none of his business, and if it meant that Damon and Lexi were getting on, that was surely good news. They’d better not still be asleep when I get back, he thought, laughing to himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Good morning, Damon, Stefan,” greeted Elijah as he opened the door into his home, welcoming them in and gesturing at them to follow Kol further into the house. “Miss Branson,” he said, looking in surprise at Lexi, who followed behind Stefan. “What a pleasure it is to see you again. Please, do come in.” Lexi smiled at him and followed the Salvatores into the mansion.<br/>
They walked into a large room, comfortably furnished with sofas and armchairs, and a large, roaring fire, in front of which, Klaus Rebekkah, and a woman that they didn’t recognise were seated, each nursing a cup of coffee. Klaus stood as the three entered the room. “Greetings,” he said formally. “How is the little Miss Ottilie? Fully recovered, I hope?”<br/>
Stefan smiled at him, nodding. “Yes, thank you, Klaus. She’s back at school for the first time in almost a month actually. We’re all a little on edge,” he said, sending a look over at Damon who smirked at him.<br/>
Klaus smiled, pleased to hear that his little friend was well on the mend. “Let me introduce you,” he gestured to the blond woman sitting next to Rebekkah, sipping her coffee daintily. “This is Camille, she’s um… staying with us.”<br/>
Rebekah snorted into her coffee cup, trying her best not to laugh.<br/>
“Oh I’m sorry, sister,” Klaus sneered, “Is something funny?” She looked up at him, ready to retort with a sassy remark when some more people entered the room.<br/>
Caroline, Tyler and Bonnie entered, followed by Alaric and Jeremy. “What a gathering…” remarked Damon, raising his eyebrows in surprise at seeing everyone together, outside of the grill for once.<br/>
Elijah stood by the fire once everyone had a drink and the pleasantries had been exchanged, and spoke to them all. “Thank you for coming, my friends. I apologise for the formalities, but my siblings and I felt it was necessary to get everyone together in one place. I’m afraid to tell you, but once again, our existence, not only in Mystic Falls, but perhaps all together, is once again threatened.”<br/>
The others exchanged concerned looks, wondering what he was talking about.<br/>
“What do you mean?” asked Caroline, voicing everyone else’s thoughts.<br/>
“Not so long ago, as I’m sure you’ll all remember, there was an attack staged on vampires on the night of the carnival.” He gazed fixedly at Damon who looked away, almost physically sickened at the memories of that night. Lexi, noticing the look on his face and knowing what Elijah was eluding to, gently took a hold of one of Damon’s hands, and smiled reassuringly at him.<br/>
“Whilst myself and my siblings were not present at the attack, some of you were, and we took it upon ourselves to look more into what happened, and who orchestrated it.”<br/>
“Well?” asked Tyler, impatiently, “who was it? Let’s just go and sort them out.”<br/>
“Alas,” continued Elijah, unperturbed by the interruption, “we were unable to ascertain who was the culprit.”<br/>
Tyler scoffed and rolled his eyes and Klaus growled, annoyed by the young hybrids disrespect. “Klaus…” whispered Camille, placing a soothing hand on his arm to stop him getting up to go over to Tyler.<br/>
Elijah shot Tyler a look of badly masked disdain. “Mr Lockwood, you are here purely as a curtesy to our friends. Should there be a need to remove you from this meeting, please be assured, I will not hesitate to do so.”<br/>
Tyler, sobered by Elijah’s cool remarks, nodded silently and sat back, resolving  to keep his comments to himself and hear what the Original had to say.<br/>
“Whilst we do not yet know who exactly was behind this attack, we do have some informants who we have been, ahem… questioning…” Elijah scrunched his nose up at the memories of getting his hands dirty, his fingers reaching subconsciously for the white handkerchief he kept in his pocket.<br/>
Klaus took over at this point, “We compelled some of the humans who had been collecting vampires to tell us who told them to do so. They told us they had no recollection, only that they knew they must carry out the task.”<br/>
“So they were compelled… the attack was arranged by vampires,” said Stefan, as the others looked at each other in shock, each of them wracking their brains, trying to think which vampires they knew would want to do this.<br/>
“Do you have any idea which vampires would want to attack vampires in Mystic Falls?” asked Caroline, shaken by this news.<br/>
Kol shrugged, “Well there are plenty of vampires who hate us, but they’d surely know that that attack couldn’t harm us in the long term. So it must be someone who has a vendetta against one of you lot,” he said, gesturing at the people in the room.<br/>
“I’ve been sending feelers out,” continued Klaus, “I got my hybrids to check on certain old… friends… who might want to lash out at me, and only one seemed to be acting differently to normal. An old acquaintance of mine by the name of Marcel.” He looked over at Camille who nodded at him, encouragingly. “We turned Marcel hundreds of years ago, and we considered him family.  He now lords over New Orleans, until recently, when we found out that he’d been making regular trips to Portland.”<br/>
“In the last year or so, he’s been visiting Portland religiously, every two months. This is totally new for him as he never usually leaves New Orleans more than once or twice a year.” Camille spoke for the first time, and everyone turned to look at her. “He’s unpredictable, and he has a strong dislike for Klaus and Elijah, in particular. I always keep an eye on him, and when I noticed there was pattern in his absences, I thought I’d better tell Klaus.”<br/>
Klaus smiled over at her, and Damon noticed a slight blush come to her cheeks.<br/>
“Okay, but if this Marcel guy knows you so well, surely he’d know that you lot can’t be killed?” countered Damon, gesturing with his mug at the originals, seated around the room.<br/>
Elijah nodded, acknowledging Damon’s point before continuing. “As you say, Damon, and so we got to thinking. Marcel’s trips coincided with Miss Ottilie’s powers starting on her 12th birthday.” Damon’s head snapped over to Elijah’s direction at the mention of Ottilie.<br/>
“You think this involves my daughter?” he snapped, horrified at the thought of someone being after his little girl.<br/>
“I think it is wise to consider the opportunity,” replied Elijah, diplomatically. “Marcel is widely known to have an interest in witches, especially powerful ones, and we did wonder whether this might be a motive.”<br/>
“We think that the attack was carried out on the vampires of Mystic Falls in a bid to leave Otti unprotected so that she could be delivered to Marcel. Unfortunately for them, Ottilie was of course mistaken for a vampire, and so they didn’t manage to kidnap her before the vampires woke up, or before we were notified of the attack. Any of them who realised who she was would have realised too late, when Damon and Stefan brought her out of the Lockwood mansion in a condition from which they perhaps didn’t think she’d recover…”<br/>
Damon turned suddenly pale, the memories of that night flooding back to him. “I need some air,” he managed to choke out, before bolting for the door and heading for the garden, standing under the tree where Ottilie had been climbing to escape the wolf all that time ago.<br/>
“Damon?” he heard a female voice calling softly to him. “Damon, where are you?”<br/>
Looking up, he saw Lexi gazing out of the open door, looking for him. “Damon, are you alright?” She spotted him and came over to him, wrapping her arms around him gently and holding him in a hug.<br/>
He didn’t say anything, but held her close, a little taken aback by her open sign of affection. He didn’t think she had much time for him, after his less than chivalrous actions all those years ago.<br/>
“It’s okay, sweetie,” she whispered, “she’s okay, remember? She’s at school having a wonderful time, and she has you, and me and all of us to keep her safe.” She felt Damon relax a little in her arms, and kept up her soothing words, trying to make him feel more at ease.<br/>
Eventually, Damon pulled away from her, subtly wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as Lexi pretended not to notice. “Ready to go back?” she asked, gently, not wanting to rush him back into the room. He nodded, and taking her hand, walked back into the house.<br/>
Stefan looked up as they entered the room. He’d wanted to go after Damon, but Lexi had promised him that she would help him, and he’d stayed put, thinking furiously over all of the information that Elijah had just dropped on them. As Damon and Lexi walked in, he noted Damon gripping his best friend’s hand tightly, and made a mental note to make some sort of snarky comment about it later on when they were back home.<br/>
“So, what do we do to sort this bastard out?” demanded Damon.<br/>
Elijah smiled at him, “Whilst I admire your proactiveness, Damon, let us not be rash. We must first make certain that it is indeed Marcel who poses this threat, and we must also know why. Be assured, we will continue our questioning, and we will keep you updated. For now, you must continue as normal, but with extra precautions around Ottilie, just in case our suspicions prove to be true. If that is the case, they cannot know that we suspect them. You must continue as normal, do you understand?”<br/>
The rest of the room nodded, not liking the instruction but understanding it’s necessity.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ottilie was walking down the corridors of school holding her books tightly to her. She loved school and was looking forward to her next lesson, history, with Mr Saltzman, or Ric as she knew him better. Damon called him her ‘honorary godfather’ but she wasn’t sure what that meant but went with it anyway. All she knew was that if she was in trouble whilst at school, she had to go to Ric.<br/>
The bell rang, signalling that she should hurry to her class, and she picked up her pace a little, even though she knew that the teachers were aware of her condition, and that she couldn’t rush around too much and to not tell her off for being late. Still, she disliked being looked at as she entered a classroom late and made it her mission in life to be late as infrequently as possible.<br/>
Hurrying to her history class through the now empty corridor, she suddenly felt herself bump into someone, and her books tumbled from her grasp, spilling all over the polished corridor floor. “Oh,” she gasped, looking up at who she’d bumped into, the school bully, “I’m really sorry, Claire, …” she started, before she was cut off by her.<br/>
“Eurgh, look where you’re going! Oh my god, you made me drop my phone!!” cried the girl, shoving Ottilie away from her as she tried to collect her scattered books. Ottilie kept her head down, trying to ignore the shoves, and doing her best to get her books so she could get back up again and out of the situation.<br/>
Standing to face the older girl, she had to stare up at her, being over a full head shorter than her. “Oh look, it’s little Ottilie Salvatore,” sneered Claire, “Shouldn’t you be used to scratching around on the ground? I heard that’s what you were used to before you went to live with the Salvatore brothers?”<br/>
Ottilie stared up at her, gobsmacked. How could she have known about her situation before moving in with Damon and Stefan?<br/>
The bully, seeing she had hit a nerve, continued her taunts, pushing Ottilie further down the corridor. “Do you want to know what else I heard?” she continued, nastily, “I heard that stupid little Ottilie has a heart condition that means that none of the teachers tell her off for being late. Do you know what that means?” Ottilie shook her head meekly. “It means that if you’re missing from class for a bit, nobody will come to look for you.” The older girl laughed evilly and pushed Ottilie hard against the front of some lockers.<br/>
“Why are you doing this?” gasped Ottilie as one of Claire’s friends started hitting her.<br/>
“Because I can,” sneered Claire, smacking Ottilie’s head against the locker. The little girl slumped down towards the floor, wanting to curl up.<br/>
The older girls begin to kick at Ottilie, and she curled up, trying her best to protect herself. “I know everything about everyone here,” continued Claire, “and I know how pathetic you are. My mother speaks of nothing else – lovely little Ottilie Salvatore, such a sad story… how happy she must be now… poor little Ottilie” She spat, “It’s pathetic. Well, we will give you something to be sad about,” she laughed again as the kicks increased in intensity, and Ottilie cried out as they reigned in on her head, stomach and chest.<br/>
Mercifully, the bell went again, and the older girls left Ottilie, a trembling, bleeding wreck on the floor. She laid there for some time, feeling her heartbeat picking up as pain and humiliation washed over her. After a few minutes, she cautiously sat up, and taking a little mirror out of her bag, checked her appearance, sighing at the scratches and bruises already forming on her face. She gingerly ran her hands over her stomach and chest, and winced at the pain that emanated from her gentle prodding. Trying to focus her breathing into deep breaths in an attempt to ward off one of her attacks, she gathered her books once again to her, and set off for Ric’s classroom, limping slightly.<br/>
As she entered the classroom quietly, everyone looked across at her, and Ric stopped mid-sentence to look at her, “Miss Salvatore, nice of you to join us…” he teased, before fully taking in her appearance and sending her a look that she took to mean, ‘see me after class’.<br/>
She slumped heavily into her seat, trying her best to ignore the stares of her classmates, the concerned looks of her friends, and mostly the uncomfortable sensation of her heart racing and her breathing becoming tighter.<br/>
The boy she shared a desk with, Greg, was looking at her worriedly; he was one of her best friends from elementary school, and knew of her health issues. He kept a close eye on his little friend as the lesson continued, laying a comforting hand on her back and frowning as she flinched inadvertently at the contact before quickly removing it. He reached for her wrist and felt gently for her pulse, his jaw dropping slightly when he found it racing unsteadily. “Otti,” he whispered urgently, but she just shook her head at him.<br/>
“I’m fine, Greg,” she whispered back, “please don’t bring more attention to me…”<br/>
He swallowed and nodded, feeling uneasy but resolving to keep a close eye on her.<br/>
She really wasn’t feeling well. She was trying her hardest to take in enough air without gasping and bringing yet more unwanted attention her way, and her heart was hammering so hard that she feared it might break through her ribs. She knew that Greg was concerned but she just had to get through this lesson and then she could go home.<br/>
The lesson went on and Greg found himself watching Ottilie carefully, concern making his stomach churn. He’d never seen his friend have an attack before, but knew how dangerous they could be and how much school she’d missed as a result of them. He looked at her face and was alarmed to see her lips and eyelids starting to show a blue tinge, and her eyes were starting to close, her body starting to slip from her chair as she slowly lost consciousness.<br/>
“Otti!” He grabbed hold of her tiny body around her waist to stop her from falling to the floor and she hung limply from his arms, her head lolling backwards over his shoulder.<br/>
Ric, hearing Greg calling Ottilie’s name in panic, looked up sharply from his seat as his desk, and sprang into action, running over to the pair and taking Ottilie gently from the young boy’s arms and laying her onto the floor. “Greg, go and get an adult and tell them to ring for an ambulance for Ottilie Salvatore, then to come here. They’ll know what to do when they know it’s Ottilie.” The boy nodded, trembling, and ran from the room without hesitation.<br/>
Alaric shook the tiny girl’s shoulders gently, trying to get some sort of response from her, before checking her neck for a pulse and listening for her breathing, swearing softly under his breath when he felt her heart beating erratically and her breathing barely there.<br/>
Another teacher ran into the room, followed by a pale and panicked Greg, and dropped to kneel next to Alaric, handing him a box labelled, ‘O Salvatore’.<br/>
“I’ve got the kit, Ric,” said the other teacher, and passed Alaric the ambu-bag from inside it, which Ric fitted over Ottilie’s mouth and nose, squeezing it gently to try and coax more air into her lungs.<br/>
“Did you call for an ambulance?” he asked the other teacher who nodded whilst trying to find a pulse from one of Ottilie’s wrists.<br/>
“Yes, and I sent a medical alert to Damon Salvatore to be at the hospital to meet the ambulance.”<br/>
Ric nodded, and taking the ambu-bag from Ottilie’s face, leaned down to check her breathing. “Shit,” he swore, on finding that she now wasn’t breathing for herself, and knowing that Damon would kill him if anything happened to his little girl. “Come on, Otti,” he coaxed with urgency laced in voice, replacing the breathing device over her nose and squeezing it steadily, watching her chest rise and fall.<br/>
Just then, to Alaric’s immense relief, the paramedics burst into the classroom, taking control of the situation. The teachers knelt back in relief as the experts took over trying to stabilise Ottilie. Having taken all of her vitals and loaded her onto a stretcher, one of the paramedics asked if either of them would come to the hospital with her. Alaric volunteered readily and the other teacher agreed to stay with his shaken students.<br/>
Alaric climbed into the back of the ambulance with Ottilie and held tightly to her hand, hoping that if she could feel it, it would bring her some comfort that she wasn’t alone. The paramedics worked busily, connecting her to monitors and phoning ahead to the hospital, when he suddenly remembered something. “Her file says to contact a Dr Laughlin at the hospital,” he told the paramedics who nodded and radioed it through.<br/>
On arriving at the hospital, the paramedics pushed the stretcher through the waiting area and into one of the bays indicated by the nurses who swarmed in to connect Ottilie to  various machines. All Alaric could do was watch in morbid fascination as the medical professionals conversed in an urgent language of  medical jargon that he couldn’t understand.<br/>
His phone rang, and he looked at the caller ID. Damon. “Hey, are you here?” he spoke quickly, knowing that Damon was more than likely to be trawling through the emergency department looking for his little girl.<br/>
“I’m outside,” came the reply, and Alaric could hear the panic in his voice.<br/>
“I’ll come and get you, wait by the entrance,” he instructed, and told the nurses quickly where he was going.<br/>
He found a flustered Damon pacing outside the front electronic doors, and wrapped him in a tight hug. “What the hell happened, Ric?” he demanded.<br/>
Alaric didn’t know where to start but said that Ottilie had come in late to class looking a little worse for wear, as if she’d been beaten, and that she’d collapsed in class with one of her attacks.<br/>
“Beaten?!” cried Damon, as Alaric looked helplessly at him. “Take me to her, please,” he said, in a calmer voice and Alaric lead the way back to the bay where Ottilie was connected up to a heart monitor that was beeping loudly and erratically.<br/>
Damon would never get used to seeing his daughter lying so helpless in a hospital bed. He ran over to her and kissed her forehead softly, taking her hands in his, mindful of the IVs that were now in them. “Sweetheart, it’s okay, I’m here, I’m here…” he soothed, willing her to hear him and wake up.<br/>
“Mr Salvatore?” came a soft, female voice, and Damon and Alaric looked for the person it came from. “Hi, I’m Dr Laughlin, but please, just call me Jo.” She reached for Damon’s hand and he shook it. “We’ve spoken quite extensively on the phone, but it’s nice to meet you in person. I’m just sorry it’s under these circumstances.” Damon nodded stiffly before turning back to Ottilie.<br/>
“You must be Mr Saltzman?” continued Jo, looking over at Ric who nodded shyly. “The paramedics radioed in that Ottilie’s teacher was accompanying her here. She’s lucky to have such devoted people in her life.” Alaric smiled, mesmerised by the beautiful doctor.<br/>
Suddenly, the heart monitor beeped even more irregularly, and more nurses spilled into the room, looking for direction from Jo who started giving instructions. Medications were injected into Ottilie’s IVs and another nurse returned with a defibrillator machine before turning it on and charging it to the voltage set by Dr Laughlin who took the paddles herself.<br/>
Placing the paddles onto Ottilie’s chest, Jo looked around checking for any obstacles, gesturing with her head at Alaric to drag Damon away. “Clear!” she called before delivering the shock, causing Ottilie’s little body to jerk slightly away from the bed.<br/>
Immediately, the heart monitor showed a normal heart rhythm and Jo sighed in relief. “Well that wasn’t too bad,” she said, smiling at Damon who was clutching onto Ric’s arm so tightly that his knuckles were white. “Mr Salvatore, come and sit with your daughter, or I may have to treat Mr Saltzman here for a broken arm.” She winked at Alaric who just stared at her gobsmacked, and Damon ran straight over to hold his daughter.</p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Damon took Ottilie home later that evening when Dr Laughlin was satisfied that she was fine, and he looked over at his daughter as they sat together later that night, huddled together on the sofa. He held her close to him, stroking her long hair gently, making sure she was feeling relaxed and safe. </p><p>“Do you want to tell me what happened, sweetheart?” he asked softly, trying not to startle too much from the heavy silence that had been weighing on him since he got home. </p><p>His daughter just shook her head, not speaking. Come to think of it, she barely said a word since she’d come around in the hospital. </p><p>“Ric said that you looked a little roughed up when you walked into his classroom?” Damon tried again,  but to no avail. He sighed, giving in and grabbing the TV remote and turning it on. </p><p>“It’s never happened at school before…” said Ottilie, suddenly in a tiny voice. “An attack, I mean.” </p><p>Damon muted the TV and they both stared at the moving, silent pictures on the screen. </p><p>“Do you know what happened to me? I don’t really remember.” </p><p>Damon reshuffled her gently so that she was looking at him, and told him what Ric had told him a few hours ago. </p><p>“According to Ric, you were late to class and arrived looking a little worse for wear. He said that you were sat next to your classmate, Greg, who alerted him when you fainted. Apparently this Greg stopped you falling. I should probably thank him…” </p><p>Ottilie hid her head in her hands, and Damon saw a subtle flush spread across her cheeks, and smirked. “That’s so embarrassing,” she murmured, horrified that she’d have to go back to school after the weekend and see everyone again. </p><p>Damon chuckled and lifted her head from her hands gently, “oh sweetheart,” he teased gently before hugging her to him, loving her reaction  - so very human, he thought.</p><p> </p><p>The phone rang early the next morning, and a bleary-eyed Stefan ran to answer it, almost forgetting that they owned a landline phone and wondering who could possibly still have that number. </p><p>“Hello?” he answered, groggily. </p><p>“Good morning, Mr Salvatore,” came a woman’s voice down the phone. “My name is Diana Blythe, I’m Greg Blythe’s mother. I believe he’s in the same class Ottilie?” </p><p>“Oh hi, good morning,” replied Stefan, not sure what to say but briefly remembering Greg’s name coming up in conversation with Damon when he explained to him what had happened to Ottilie. </p><p>“Yes, we were just ringing to see how Ottilie was doing? Greg was quite concerned about his little friend yesterday, and wondered if might be able to come over to see her while she’s no doubt resting?” </p><p>Stefan had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing at the squawks of embarrassment that he could hear coming from who he presumed was Greg. “How kind,” he replied. “You’d be most welcome to come over later this morning? I know that Damon and I would like to thank Greg for his help yesterday.” He could almost hear the woman smile down the phone, so proud was she that her son was such a gentleman. </p><p>It was decided that Greg and his parents would come over for coffee later that morning which gave Stefan plenty of time to tell Damon and to get Ottilie up and about. She was often exhausted after her attacks and unable to do much more than eat and sleep. Next on the agenda was to find Lexi and fill her in on the morning’s events.</p><p>Having told Damon what was going on, Stefan went to check in on Ottilie, who although still very pale and supporting a scratched face and bandaged ribs, grinned when she saw him. “Uncle Stefan!” she cried, holding out her arms for a hug but failing to conceal a wince as she pulled at her cracked ribs. </p><p>“Morning Otti! Feeling better? There’s someone coming to see you a little later on so you need to get up now.” </p><p>She looked up at him, confused. “Who?” she asked, her brows furrowed as she tried to narrow down the already short list of people who were likely to come and see her.</p><p>“I believe he’s one of your school friends who helped you yesterday,” said Stefan, noticing her pale face colour as she blushed and her mouth fell open. </p><p>“Oh my god, Greg?!” she almost shrieked. “This is so embarrassing, I’m in my pyjamas!” </p><p>Stefan was laughing now which only added to Ottilie’s annoyance. Luckily for Stefan, before Ottilie could use her magic to stop him laughing, Lexi swooped in, rolling her eyes at her hysterical best friend. </p><p>“For goodness sake, Stefan,” she said, grinning at a very pink Ottilie, “There’s a boy coming over and we need room to work. Out, please!” she ordered, pointing at the door. Stefan left the room, still laughing and Lexi took a seat by Ottilie on the bed. “So, who’s this Greg?” she asked, with a knowing smile. </p><p>Ottilie shrugged, “he’s just a guy in my class. He’s nice though, and he helped me yesterday.” </p><p>Lexi nodded, deciding not to press anymore, and got up, opening up Ottilie’s wardrobe. “Come on then, let’s choose something nice to wear – something comfy and casual, but not pyjamas, hey?” she teased.</p><p>Ottilie nodded, smiling at Lexi, and got slowly out of bed. Lexi helped her dress and did her hair nicely into two braids, and then helped the little girl down the stairs where the two brothers were making breakfast. </p><p>“I’m sorry, Ottilie,” said Stefan soberly, sat opposite to her, still trying his best to stop from laughing. </p><p>Ottilie huffed and rolled her eyes at him, just in the way that she’d Lexi do, but she couldn’t help but smile at him as she sat in front of the huge plate of food he’d made for her. She did her best to eat it but had to give most of it to Damon to finish as she was still struggling with her appetite. </p><p>An hour or so later, the doorbell rang, and Stefan, playing the gracious host, went to answer it, welcoming in a man, a woman and a young boy. Stefan introduced himself before turning to Damon, Lexi and Ottilie, who had just entered, and introducing them too. </p><p>“It’s lovely to meet you all, I’m Diana, this is Ted, and this is our son, Greg.” The boy looked up shyly at the Salvatore brothers and Lexi, his face a similar shade of embarrassed red to Ottilie’s. </p><p>“Coffee?” asked Damon, diffusing any tension in the room as the guests accepted and followed him into the parlour, commenting politely on the house and the décor, leaving Greg and Ottilie alone in the entrance hall. </p><p>“Um, are you feeling better, Otti?” asked Greg, shyly.</p><p>She nodded, ‘yes thanks. And thanks for looking out for me yesterday,” she replied. </p><p>Greg shrugged as if it were nothing, but smiled slightly at her. “You know, it was really scary,” he said quietly, “I thought you were going to die,” he added, looking at his feet. </p><p>“I’m sorry I scared you,” Ottilie replied, unsure as to how to respond to that. </p><p>“No, no, that’s not what I meant. It wasn’t your fault. It’s just that, you’re my friend, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you,” he said quickly, a little louder than he’d planned to, not wanting her to feel bad. </p><p>She smiled up at him, and took his hand shyly. “Do you want to come and get a drink? Damon makes a really good hot chocolate – I could ask him to make you one?” </p><p>The taller boy nodded and followed her through the house, not letting go of her hand until they were about to walk through the door of the parlour. </p><p> </p><p>Damon stood in the kitchen preparing the drinks and listening carefully to the conversation between his daughter and her friend. Part of him knew it was wrong to eaves drop, but the other part wanted to make sure she was safe. He smiled as he listened, knowing now that Ottilie was in good hands, and that although his newfound fatherly instincts were yelling at him to hate any male she interacted with, that Greg was one of the good ones, and so he got to work on the hot chocolates, waiting for Ottilie’s little footsteps to come running through to the kitchen, bringing her to ask for one. God he loved his daughter.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ottilie was lying on the soft grass next to Greg, looking up at the clear sky, smiling. She was happy, she thought, as she gazed up, relishing feel of the sun on her skin. Greg’s parents had invited her over for lunch that weekend, and Damon had dropped her off just a few hours ago. She really liked Greg’s parents; his mum was kind and chatty, always filling the awkward silences and putting Ottilie at ease, and his dad, although far quieter than his wife, had a twinkle in his eye and a kind smile that made Ottilie feel safe. She sighed contentedly, closing her eyes as drifting off to the sound of Greg joking about the shapes he could make out of the clouds. </p><p>Stefan, Damon and Lexi were sat in the garden, also enjoying the sunshine allowed to them by their trusty daytime rings.</p><p>“So, we go today?” asked Stefan, looking at Damon who nodded seriously. </p><p>“Yep,” replied Damon, popping the ‘p’. “Camille told Klaus that Marcel had left New Orleans for one of his trips. So, we go on a little trip to Portland, find this Markian guy that Klaus and Elijah have found, and we ask him a few questions.” He smiled, triumphantly, pleased at finally being able to do something proactive, rather than waiting for an attack. </p><p>“Shotgun front seat!” shouted Lexi, jumping up and heading to the blue camero. Damon looked over at Stefan and shrugged in mock helplessness as Stefan rolled his eyes, following them.</p><p>“Fiineeeee” he grumbled, squeezing into the back seat. </p><p>The drive was a couple of hours max, but Stefan was pleased to arrive so that he could stretch his legs. “You need a bigger car,” he mumbled to Damon, trying to get the circulation back to his feet. </p><p>Damon scowled at him before caressing the shiny bonnet of his car, “Don’t listen to him, baby” he cooed, as Stefan scoffed and rolled his eyes at him. </p><p>“Are you two going to keep flirting or can we get a move on?” shouted Lexi, already a few paces ahead of them. “I’ve found the bar that our friend likes to reside in. Let’s go!” </p><p>The brothers sped to catch up with her, and they walked in silence to the bar, wondering what they’d find. On entering the dingy bar, it took a few seconds for their eyes to ajust to the lack of light, and they gazed around, looking for someone fitting the description Klaus and Elijah had given them. </p><p>“There…” whispered Damon, gesturing to a unkempt looking man hunched over an empty beer glass on a small table in the corner. “Unpleasant smell, bad hygiene and cowering out of the sunlight – sounds about right?” The other two nodded, and they made their way cautiously over to the man. </p><p>“Can we join you?” asked Lexi brightly, before sitting down on the spare chair on the other side of the table before the man could answer. </p><p>“We have some questions for you, Markian” said Stefan, determined to try and get this done in the most efficient, least bloody way possible.</p><p>The man looked up at the trio and sneered, revealing black, broken teeth. “You do, do you?” he jeered at them, “and why would I give you any answers?” </p><p>Damon smirked at him, “because answers equal less pain,” he said, shrugging. </p><p>Again, the man scoffed. “I don’t fear pain,” he replied, “because I don’t feel it.” </p><p>“Who’s Marcel?” asked Stefan, getting straight to the point. </p><p>The man looked up at him sharply, his beady black eyes boring into Stefan’s. “Who’s asking?” he replied, quickly. </p><p>They were ready for this, and had their answers prepared. “An old friend,” replied Damon, smoothly. “Klaus Mikaelson.”</p><p>For an instant, a flicker of surprise washed over the man’s face, before he quickly got a hold of himself and fixed the sneering veneer back. “Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while,” he said, smiling evilly. “Marcel will be pleased to know that his old…friend… is asking after him.” </p><p>“Where can we find him?” asked Damon harshly, tired now of the word games this man was playing. He could see that they weren’t getting anywhere with finding out who Marcel was and why he might want Ottilie.   </p><p>“Oh I can take you to him, he’s here at the moment,” replied the man, smiling maliciously at them and running his tongue over his blackened teeth. “I think he’d like to see you. The last I heard, Mr Marcel was intrigued to hear that his old friend Klaus had made acquaintances with a little someone he’s… how shall I say… interested in…” </p><p>Damon looked away, suddenly feeling sick at the realisation that it was indeed Ottilie that Marcel was after. Who else could it be? </p><p>Stefan stood up abruptly, “take us to him,” he said firmly, and Markien got up slowly from his seat, and shuffled to the door.</p><p>The walk was slow and long, and Damon could feel his patience wearing thinner by the minute. Only the calming hand of Lexi, resting on his arm was keeping him sane. They finally came to an inconspicuous-looking hotel, and Markien led them inside and up two flights of grubby stairs.</p><p>“Not exactly the kind of place I imagined this Marcel guy to be residing…” muttered Damon. </p><p>“Oh be assured,” retorted Markien, “Mr Marcel lives in the greatest luxury. This place is merely for business dealings.” </p><p>Reaching a red painted door with no number on it, Markien knocked twice, waiting for an invitation to enter. “Yes?” came a voice, and Markien opened the door, gesturing at the trio to follow him. </p><p>“Mr Marcel,” snivelled Markien, “I’ve brought you some people who know Klaus Mikaelson. Reckon they might know of the asset you’re interested in?” </p><p>The man sitting in a comfy, leather-backed armchair looked up sharply at the mention of the asset and glared at Markien, who withered back from him, as if physically stung by the look. </p><p>“What have I told you about telling people about the asset, Markien?” hissed Marcel, whose eyes had a menacing glint in them. “The more people who know about the asset, the harder it’ll be to get it!” He was shouting now, and walked straight up to Markien, plunged his hand into his chest, and looking him straight in the eye, sneered with contempt, “well, I won’t have to tell you again,” before pulling his heart right out of his chest cavity, and letting it drop with the body. </p><p>The trio tried to contain their shock and stared at Marcel who smiled brightly at them. “Good afternoon,” he said pleasantly, a far cry from his tone just seconds before. “So you know my dear friend Klaus,” he added, watching as they nodded. “And who are you?” </p><p>“Damon Salvatore,” replied Damon, confidently. </p><p>Marcel’s eyes snapped up to look at him. “Are you indeed?” he asked, a crooked smile forming on his face, his eyes flashing. “Well in that case, poor Markien here was probably right to bring you to me. Oh well…” he shrugged, turning away from the body on the floor and beckoning at them to come further into the room, which they did cautiously. “So that’d make you the brother, Stefan?” he guessed, “but I’m afraid I have no inkling as to who you may be, my dear,” he said, gesturing at Lexi, and smiling wolfishly at her. “Such a shame…” he added, and Lexi repressed a shudder. </p><p>Taking a seat in his chair once more, he surveyed the three vampires stood in front of him. “Do you know who I am?” he asked, immensely enjoying the thinly masked uncertainty on their faces. “I’m Marcel Gerard, I’m the King of New Orleans,” he smirked at them. “I believe that you might have something that you want…” he looked at them, studying their faces for any sign that they knew what he was talking about before turning to face the back of the room, looking away from them.</p><p>“And what would that be?” asked Damon, trying hard to contain his seething anger, now that he already knew what it was. </p><p>“I want the Adfectus Witch,” he announced, suddenly spinning around to face them. “And I know you have her. Give her to me.”</p><p>Damon took a step forward, “what the hell is an Adfectus Witch?” he sneered, trying to through Marcel of track. </p><p>Marcel glared at him, “my witches tell me that they sense her power, that they’ve sensed it for almost a year, and that it’s getting stronger. I don’t know what she looks like, but I know that you do.” He smiled unpleasantly at them. </p><p>“What makes you think that?” retorted Stefan.</p><p>“The witches in Portland have located the power source to Mystic Falls, the Mikaelsons are mysteriously quiet and haven’t left the area in years, and there are stories of a little girl who knows not of the enormity of her abilities. I’ve been coming to Portland to learn more about her and to organise her… collection… but to no avail. I want her, and you will deliver her to me.” </p><p>Stefan had had enough. “Why do you want her so much?” he demanded. </p><p>Marcel just laughed. “Ah Mr Salvatore, so many questions. That one, I won’t give you an answer to.” </p><p>“And you think we’re just going to hand her over to you?” Damon snapped, losing his cool. </p><p>Marcel’s face suddenly went cold, and his eyes glinted dangerously. “No, I don’t think you will. Maybe I should give you some incentive to show you just how serious I am about getting her.”</p><p>He suddenly sped over to Lexi and sank his fangs into her arm, letting her fall to the ground as her legs gave way and she screamed in pain before he sped back to his chair, quicker than the Salvatores could blink.</p><p>They were over by Lexi’s side quickly, helping her up and assessing the damage. “What the…” muttered Damon, looking at the gaping wound in Lexi’s arm and seeing the black veins travelling steadily out of it. </p><p>“Oh I’m sorry,” mocked Marcel, sitting in his chair with his legs crossed and his hands together. “Did I forget to mention? I’m what you’d call, an Upgraded Original Vampire. That…” he indicated at Lexi’s arm, “is going to hurt. In fact, it will kill her in about 8 hours. So I’d get her home to say your goodbyes.” </p><p>The brothers, supporting Lexi, made to leave the room before Marcel directed one more sentence at them. “Oh, and I will do that to everyone you’ve ever cared about if you don’t bring her to me…” </p><p> </p><p>Descending the stairs, Lexi suddenly lost consciousness and Damon had to quickly grab her and haul her into his arms before she fell down the remained of the steps. “Lexi…” he whispered, noticing in horror the sheen of sweat coating her forehead, and the uncontrollable shaking wracking through her body. He sped off out of the hotel to the car, Stefan hot on his heels. </p><p>Stefan got into the car and Damon posted Lexi into the back with him, making sure that her head was resting comfortably on his brothers lap. “Hold on, Lexi,” he heard Stefan whisper through gritted teeth. </p><p>“What do we do?” he asked Damon, desperately as he went to start the car. </p><p>“We need to go to Klaus,” said Damon. “He knows Marcel better than anyone, and it looks  a little like a werewolf bite – maybe his blood will be able to heal her?” </p><p>Stefan just nodded, staring down at the pale face of his best friend.</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Quick, put her in her room,” beckoned Stefan, opening the front door of the mansion as Damon ran through, clutching a delirious Lexi to him. He made quick work of the stars and set Lexi gently down on her bed before running to get a cold cloth to wipe her fevered brow. Stefan was waiting anxiously for Klaus who he’d called on the way over from Portland as Damon was breaking just about every speed limit possible. </p><p>“What’s going on?” demanded Klaus as he appeared at the front door having sped over to the Salvatore boarding house. </p><p>“It’s Lexi,” said Stefan. “We found Marcel and he attacked Lexi,” </p><p>Klaus frowned, “well isn’t she healing?” </p><p>Stefan shook his head. “We’ve not seen anything like this before, but it looks like a werewolf bite that’s spreading faster than it normally would. We thought if it were like a werewolf bite, you might be able to heal her?” </p><p>Klaus looked concerned, “a werewolf bite, you say?” he repeated, his brow furrowed as his mind raced through the various possibilities. “Surely not…” he whispered, so quietly that even Stefan barely heard it. “Take me to her,” he instructed and Stefan lead the way quickly. </p><p>Lexi was barely conscious now, moaning deliriously as Damon tried to soothe her, her face scrunched up in agony. Klaus stormed into the room and almost pushed Damon out of the way in a bid to see the injury for himself.</p><p>“I didn’t think he’d do it…” he muttered, inspecting Lexi’s arm with immense focus and a grim look on his face. </p><p>“Do what?” asked Damon, exasperated. “Can you help her?” </p><p>“I can try,” replied Klaus, biting into his wrist and holding it to Lexi’s mouth where a few drops were swallowed. The three men watched her arm closely, panic starting to resurge as there was no sign of healing. </p><p>“Klaus,” whispered Stefan in desperation, “what is it?” </p><p>Klaus shook his head in disbelief, “I’d heard rumours,” he said, “that Marcel had found the witches who would create a serum so intense that he would overpower even my family and I. It’s happened only once before and the man who took the serum had a bite fatal to all, even and original, and possessed even greater strength and speed than we do. We called him an…” </p><p>Damon interrupted, “an Upgraded Original Vampire. Yeah we know, Marcel told us. How the hell do we stop him?” </p><p>Klaus looked at them grimly, “we can’t,” he said, “the only way the last Upgraded Original Vampire was taken out was by an Adfectus witch, but there hasn’t been one for centuries and we think the blood line has died out.” </p><p>Stefan and Damon looked up sharply at the mention of an Adfectus witch, but didn’t bring it up to Klaus. At that moment, they had more pressing concerns as Lexi began to cough uncontrollably, the poison from the bite spreading through her body. </p><p>The three men suddenly heard a car pulling up in the drive, followed by the slam of a car door and an exchange of pleasantries before the car pulled away again.</p><p>“It’s Ottilie…” said Damon quietly, wondering what on earth he was going to tell his daughter about Lexi’s condition.</p><p>“We should let her see Lexi,” said Stefan softly, unwanted tears starting to spring to his eyes. “She might not get another chance to, you know…” </p><p>Damon nodded stiffly and left the room to go and prepare his daughter. </p><p>“Damon!” Klaus and Stefan looked each other as they heard the happy cry of the little girl, so excited to tell them about her day with her friend. They grimaced as they heard the cries of shock follow after Damon told her about Lexi, and prepared themselves as they heard the patter of tiny feet running up the stairs and bursting into the room. </p><p>“Lexi!” Ottilie cried, running towards the bed. </p><p>Klaus caught hold of her before she could reach Lexi, saying “Careful, love, Lexi might not know who you are, and could attack you.” </p><p>Ottilie shook her head defiantly, “no, she wouldn’t hurt me!” </p><p>Just as Damon reappeared in the room having composed himself after telling Ottilie, Lexi began to cough violently, gasping for air and bringing up blood. </p><p>“I don’t think she has long…” said Klaus softly, giving Stefan a sympathetic look. </p><p>Ottilie pushed herself out of Klaus’ grasp and ran to Lexi, grabbing one of her hands in her own. </p><p>“Otti…” warned Damon, but was cut off as he saw Lexi stop coughing for a moment. He looked closer at Ottilie and saw that her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be focusing intently. Lexi calmed even more and the coughing ceased, and Damon saw the black veins start to retract back into the centre of the wound on her arm. </p><p>The three men watched in awe as Ottilie started to heal Lexi, the wound getting smaller and smaller. Lexi started to wake up, but was still too weak to move or speak, but looked up at Ottilie, fear suddenly coming over her face. That was when Damon glimpsed the steady flow of blood start to pour from Ottilie’s nose, and he took a step forward. </p><p>“Otti, you need to stop now.” She paid no heed and continued to focus on Lexi, still holding her hand with her eyes closed. “Ottilie, listen to me, it’s getting too much…” They could hear the wind starting to pick up now outside the house as branches started to knock against the windows, the howl was beginning to get deafening. </p><p>“Otti, stop!” shouted Stefan over the roar. Klaus and Damon made a step towards the little girl but she turned suddenly, one hand still clasping Lexi’s, the other reached out towards the other three vampires, creating some sort of force field preventing them from getting to her. Keeping her arm suspended in the air to maintain the barrier, she turned her head back to focus on Lexi, the blood still pouring from her nose as the others looked on in horror, and Lexi repeated feebly, “Otti, please, you’re hurting yourself, stop!”</p><p>Suddenly, she let go of Lexi’s hand, her other arm fell to her side, and her eyes snapped open. The wound on Lexi’s arm was completely gone, and Ottilie smiled down at Lexi, who was now healed but exhausted. “Otti…” began Lexi in a hushed whisper.</p><p>Damon interrupted, running towards his daughter who had started to sway on the spot, suddenly starting to feel the effects of the huge amount of power healing such an injury had caused. She began to collapse to the floor but Damon got there first, slipping one arm under her knees, the other around her shoulders, making her head rest in the crook of his arm. He laid her lower body on the floor, still supporting her shoulders, neck and head and with his free hand, shook her gently, calling her name. </p><p>“Ottilie, sweetheart,” he called quietly, tapping her face softly in a bid to wake her, but her eyes remained shut. Klaus returned from the ensuite bathroom with a tissue which he handed to Damon who wiped the blood from the little girl’s face. Lifting her tiny chest to his ear, he listened for her heartbeat and breathing, sighing in relief as he found both to be relatively normal.</p><p>He looked up at Lexi, who was peering out from her position in her bed, anxiously looking to see whether Ottilie was okay. “She’s alright, Lexi,” he said, softly, not wanting to alarm her more than necessary given what she had just been through. Stefan went over to her and hugged her tightly, “I was so worried about you, Lexi,” he said, holding his best friend to him. She hugged him back, her mind still on the little girl lying motionlessly in Damon’s arms. </p><p>Klaus was also staring down at her, a look of wonder and surprise on his face. “Damon, do you know what she is?” </p><p>Damon, still focusing on holding his daughter’s lifeless body shook his head. </p><p>“She’s an Adfectus Witch,” Klaus said in amazement, “she’s the most powerful witch alive…” </p><p>Damon sighed heavily, resting his head on his free hand, trying to comprehend the enormity of what that meant, and how many people would want to get to Ottilie, let alone Marcel. “This does not leave this room,” he hissed, suddenly standing with Ottilie still unconscious in his arms. “Not a word to anyone. Tell your siblings if you must,” he looked at Klaus, “but only if you think it’ll help to protect her. She cannot come to harm, do you understand?” </p><p>Stefan, Lexi and Klaus nodded soberly, before Klaus sped from the house to tell his siblings that the Adfectus Witch bloodline was indeed intact, and that Ottilie would need their protection more than ever before. </p><p>Whilst Stefan brought Lexi some blood bags and sat with her until she fell asleep, exhausted by the trials of the day, Damon took Ottilie into her room and tucked her carefully into bed, stroking her dark curls from her face.</p><p>“I will always protect you, little otter,” he whispered, before kissing her gently on the forehead, “always…”</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
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    <p>The next morning, hearing Stefan leave to hunt, Lexi got up early, feeling completely healed, and went straight to Ottilie’s room to see whether the little girl had recovered from the previous night. She opened the door softly to see Damon, fast asleep, leant against the edge of Ottilie’s bed, holding the hand of the little girl that was hanging limply down the side of the bed. Lexi felt her heart melt a little before she silently shut the door and tiptoed down to the kitchen to make some coffee to bring up to Damon. </p><p>Returning shortly to the room, she crept in and found a gap next to Damon, who was still fast asleep, snoring gently. She snuggled into the spot, and he stirred as she leaned her head onto his shoulder. Resolving to finish the coffee later, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, breathing in the glorious, comforting scent of Damon Salvatore. </p><p>Damon woke an hour later, and was surprised to find Lexi fast asleep on him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. He smiled to himself, enjoying the sensation of her body being so close to his, and the gentle flutters he was feeling in his stomach as a result of it. Being careful not to wake her, he lent gently over and kissed the top of her head, relishing the smell of the shampoo in her hair. He sighed. What was he thinking – she didn’t like him – she’d told him as much countless time, and he couldn’t blame her. He’d done some crappy things to her in the past, and never shown any remorse for them. But things felt different this time; she seemed more open to him, less cold and snappy, as if she was actually enjoying spending time with him. He shook his head gently, trying to snap him out of this confusing thought process, and looked up at the little hand he was clutching.</p><p>He manoeuvred his fingers up to Ottilie’s wrist so that he could feel the comforting throb of her steady pulse, reminding him that she was indeed alive and well. He gently shook Lexi awake, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb his daughter who needed all the rest she could get. “Lexi,” he whispered, as her eyes fluttered open and a blush crept over the porcelain skin of her cheeks as she realised she’d been caught. “Morning darling,” he smirked at her, doing his famous eye manoeuvre that always won the heart of any girl who saw it. </p><p>Not this morning, apparently, as Lexi rolled her eyes and got up quietly. “Morning, Damon,” she said, “I brought you a coffee but fell asleep.” </p><p>“Evidently,” remarked Damon, still smirking up at her from his seat on the floor. </p><p>Lexi softened for a moment, only just then comprehending how different this Damon was to the Damon she used to loathe. Sure he still possessed those annoying quirks – the god damn eye thing – what was with that? But he was softer now, more gently, somehow, like he actually cared about something. There was no doubt as to who that something was, she thought, watching as Damon stood, bent over Ottilie and brushed some stray hairs from her face, bending to kiss her softly. </p><p>Shaking herself a little, trying to break that trail of thought, she left the room, taking the cold coffee cups with her. You seriously cannot be contemplating liking Damon… she thought, mental chiding herself. </p><p>Lexi found Stefan nursing a cup of coffee in the kitchen and greeted him warmly, glad to get her thoughts off Damon for a while. “Morning Stef,” she said, “good hunt?” </p><p>He nodded absently, still staring into the cup. </p><p>“What’s on your mind?” she asked him, sensing that he was brooding over something. </p><p>He looked up at her, shrugging. “It’s just this whole thing with Ottilie. What the hell is an Adfectus Witch, and how do we even find out about them?!” His face fell as he looked back down at the table. “I just couldn’t bear it if something happened to her, you know?” </p><p>She nodded, knowing that nothing she could say would make him feel any more at ease about the whole situation, and so she just poured herself a cup of fresh coffee and sat next to him, hoping that a bit of company would provide some comfort at the very least. </p><p>Damon arrived down a few minutes later, helping himself to Lexi’s coffee and smirking at her frown. “So, plan for today,” he announced, “we’re going to invite the Mikaelsons and Bonnie over to talk about Adfectus Witches. Whatever the hell they are…” </p><p>The other two nodded before Stefan asked, “are we going to involve Otti?” </p><p>Damon bit his lip and look uncertain. “I think so. She needs to know if she’s in danger, and if she’s as powerful as Klaus seems to think, then all the more reason for her to learn to control her magic. She’s almost 13 now, and I think she’s old enough to know.”</p>
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<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Klaus’ phone buzzed at the same time as his siblings who were in the same room as him. “Message from Damon?” he asked them, who nodded, reading the text they’d all received from Damon.</p><p> </p><p>“So we head there for lunch,” said Elijah, “I will get my research together regarding the Adfectus Witch.”</p><p> </p><p>“You mean Ottilie,” remarked Kol, frowning. “She’s still Ottilie, even if she has some crazy super powers….”</p><p> </p><p>Elijah sighed, “yes of course, Kol, I mean Ottilie. I just meant that I have information regarding Adfectus Witches that the Salvatores might wish to have.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Later that morning, Stefan opened the door to welcome the Mikaelson family into his house, where they found Bonnie, Matt, Tyler and Caroline, all chatting to each other with little Ottilie resting on Lexi’s lap, snuggled in a blanket.</p><p> </p><p>Klaus smirked at Damon, “so when you said ‘this doesn’t leave this room’, what you really meant was ‘let’s tell everyone’…” He gestured at the group.</p><p> </p><p>Damon shrugged. “Stefan and I talked about it, and realised that the best way to protect Ottilie is to have as many people possible protecting her, and they deserve to know why they’re protecting her, don’t you think?”</p><p> </p><p>Klaus looked around, noticing his siblings already digging into the food that had been laid out on the large antique table, Bonnie laughing with Caroline, Matt and Tyler, and Lexi holding Ottilie tightly to her. Damon was right, Ottilie needed them.</p><p> </p><p>Stefan stood awkwardly next to Damon and cleared his throat nervously.</p><p> </p><p>“Speech!” teased Tyler and everyone rolled their eyes at him.</p><p> </p><p>Stefan smiled good humouredly, “thanks for coming over at such short notice, everyone” he said, “there’s something that Damon, Ottilie and I need to talk to you about, and it’s verey important to us that you’re here.”</p><p> </p><p>Damon nodded, and continued, “we recently found out that our little Ottilie here, is an Adfectus Witch.” He studied the room watching for their reactions. Bonnie’s mouth fell open in shock, Tyler looked confusedly at Caroline and the Mikaelsons remained stony-faced.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s an Adfectus Witch?” asked Caroline, her face showing her confusion. “I mean, we knew she was a witch, but what’s an Adfectus one?”</p><p> </p><p>Bonnie, shaking herself out of her stupor, spoke quietly. “They’re the most powerful witches ever recorded,” she said, “in fact, it’s said that they’re so powerful that there can only be one of them alive at any one time. They’re supposedly not bound by nature like normal witches. I didn’t think they actually existed.”</p><p> </p><p>Elijah cleared his throat. “On the contrary, Miss Bennett,” he said, “they very much do exist, and have done for centuries. My family and I had the pleasure of meeting a few over the years. We did believe, however, that the lineage had died out some centuries back. Thankfully, we have been proven wrong.” He gestured at Ottilie, still sitting with Lexi. “If I may, I’d like to recount some information regarding the Adfectus Witch?” he asked, not waiting for an answer before continuing. “Adfectus Witches are as Miss Bennett says, not bound by nature. They draw their power from the emotions of those around them, and so are never powerless, but are in fact, limitless. Where there is life, there is emotion, and therefore, for the Adfectus Witch, power. They can heal the most dire of injuries, they can perform the most complex of spells with ease, and they can defeat the deadliest of foes.”</p><p> </p><p>Damon looked at his daughter in awe, shocked that such a tiny human could yield so much power.</p><p> </p><p>“It comes with a hefty price, however,” said Elijah, watching Damon’s gaze snap up to focus in on him. “Such is the immense power of the Adfectus Witch, that the nature witches placed a curse on the original witch and any subsequent Adfectus Witches. They would never be able to access the true extent of their powers due to a human affliction that would make it deadly to do so. Over the years, these afflictions have ranged from lung diseases to general poor health. In Miss Ottilie, I believe it is her heart condition.”</p><p> </p><p>Damon’s face fell and his friends looked over at the little girl in sympathy.</p><p> </p><p>“What does that mean then?” choked Stefan.</p><p> </p><p>“It means that should she ever try access the full extent of her power and succeed, it will kill her.” Said Elijah, soberly.</p><p> </p><p>Lexi held Ottilie close to her, whose face was showing no trace of emotion for someone who’d just been told that their inherent powers could be a death sentence.</p><p> </p><p>“So she just never uses those powers, right? Problem avoided!” suggested Tyler, missing the scathing look Damon threw in his direction. What an idiot,  he thought. Stefan laid a comforting hand on Damon’s arm, feeling him trembling.</p><p> </p><p>“Unfortunately not,” said Klaus, now stepping forwards. “It has come to our attention that there is an Upgraded Original Vampire looking for Ottilie as we speak.”</p><p> </p><p>Matt began to choke on the coffee he’d just taken a sip of. “What the hell is an Upgraded Original Vampire?” he managed to ask, recovering from his coughing fit.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s basically an even better version of us,” said Rebekkah, “they’re faster, stronger, and their bite kills faster, even a hybrid.” Matt looked at her in horror.</p><p> </p><p>“There’s one in Portland by the name of Marcel Gerrard,” said Klaus, “and he undoubtedly wants Ottilie for her powers. Even without tapping into the full extent of her majic, she is far more powerful than any standard witch.” He smirked at Bonnie who glared at him.</p><p> </p><p>“We believe that he is behind the attack on the vampires at the carnival,” said Elijah, “and that he wanted the vampires out the way to leave Ottilie unguarded so that he could get to her. My sources tell me that he is working with another witch, and is attempting to build an army of super hybrids. Ottilie is the only one with the power to sire these hybrids to him, and so she is essential in his plan. As such, he will stop at nothing to get her.”</p><p> </p><p>“We won’t let that happen,” said Caroline, confidently. Stefan smiled widely at her and Damon nodded gratefully. The others agreed that they would do everything in their power to protect Ottilie from Marcel, and Damon and Stefan thanked them whole-heartedly, relieved that she had the best people around her.</p>
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<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
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    <p>Ottilie heard Damon knock on her door, her signal to wake up, and groaned inwardly. Where she had once loved school and looked forward to Mondays after the weekend, Sunday evenings now held nothing but trepidation and apprehension at the thought of another week ahead.</p><p>She climbed out of bed, sighing, and got herself ready, dressing in her black skinny jeans and jumper. Taking a seat in the kitchen, she pushed her cereal around the bowl, unable to bring herself to eat it such was the uncomfortable churning in her stomach. Damon watched her quietly from the door to the kitchen. He could tell that she was worried about something, and I made him uneasy to think that she apparently didn’t seem to think she could tell him, and that it was even putting her off her food. </p><p>“Anything troubling you, little lady?” he asked gently, walking over to her and lightly kissing the top of her head. </p><p>She shook her head, forcing a spoonful of cereal into her mouth so she could chew it to buy her time to think of an evasive answer. She knew that Damon and Stefan were already worried enough as it was with Marcel. They didn’t need to know that she was being picked on at school; that was her problem alone. </p><p>“I’m going to be late!” she said, standing up and leaving her barely-touched bowl of cereal.</p><p>Damon frowned at her, “Ottilie, you’ve not really had any breakfast. You need to eat, you know that.” </p><p>She grabbed an apple and stashed it into her school bag. “I’ll just have this later,” she countered, “I’m not hungry right now.” </p><p>Before Damon had time to argue with her, she’d run from the room and was back upstairs brushing her teeth and getting her things together. </p><p>Damon drove her to school, and watching as she got out of the car and drove to school, he took out his phone and sent a quick text to Alaric.</p><p>Damon: Hey buddy, hate to be that guy, but could you keep an eye on Otti please. Something’s bothering her and I don’t know what, but I think it might be something at school.</p><p>He got a positive reply almost instantly and smiled grimly to himself, reassured that for now, Ottilie was in good hands. Just then, a reminder popped up on his phone and reading it, he groaned, rolling his eyes.</p><p>Ottilie trudged slowly into school, but sped up when she saw Greg and her friend Cassie standing by their lockers. “Hey guys,” she called to them, and they turned and waved, smiling at her. Whilst Ottilie asked Cassie about her weekend, the three of them turned to walk down to their first class, history, which they all had together. Greg and Ottilie took their seats at the desk that they shared, and Cassie sat just across from them, and they all took out their books, waiting for Mr Saltzman to begin the lesson. </p><p>Just as he opened his mouth to address the class, there was a knock at the door and the school secretary lead a new student into the room. “A new student, Mr Saltzman,” she said, “Abigail Price.” The rest of the class looked at Abigail with interest and she gazed over, before her eyes rested on Ottilie who was sat staring at the new girl, her face showing badly-concealed horror.</p><p>Greg felt her stiffen and looked at her in concern, noting the look on her face. Nudging her gently with his elbow, he whispered, “Otti, are you okay?” She didn’t respond, still frozen, staring at the girl at the front of the room. “Hey, do you need me to get Mr Saltzman?” </p><p>She suddenly snapped out of it, and shook her head. “No, no, thanks Greg but I’m fine. Sorry, I’ll explain later, okay?” He nodded but resolved to keep a close eye on her for the rest of the lesson. </p><p>Abigail took her seat at the front of the classroom and the lesson went on smoothly. Ottilie sighed in relief as the bell rang for break and she leapt up, closely followed by Greg and Cassie. “What’s up, Otti?” asked Greg, “you looked like you’d seen a ghost!” </p><p>She shrugged, “I did, in a way, I guess,” she said, as her friends looked at her, confused. “You know how I was adopted by Damon and Stefan,” they nodded – it was common knowledge in Mystic Falls and the Salvatores had made no secret about it. “Well the woman I lived with before was pretty awful. She was physically and emotionally abusive. And Abigail is her daughter.” </p><p>Greg and Cassie’s faces fell in shock. “Oh my god, Otti!” said Cassie, pulling her friend into a hug, trying to comfort her in some way. “Can we do anything? Should we tell someone?” </p><p>Otti shook her head firmly, “no I don’t think so. Abigail wasn’t so bad to me, and it wasn’t her fault that her mother was so horrible. I’ll just keep my distance and hopefully it’ll be okay.” </p><p>Her friends nodded, still concerned for her. Greg rubbed his hand up and down her arm gently. “Are you going to tell Damon and Stefan?” he asked, feeling suddenly uncomfortable at the thought of keeping this a secret from them. </p><p>Again, she shook her head. “No, not yet. They have enough to worry about without me whining to them. Besides, I never really told them what happened there and I don’t want to bring it up again.” </p><p>Greg wasn’t pleased with this, but for the sake of his friend, went along with it, vowing to watch out for her even more than before. </p><p> </p><p>It was lunch time now, and the three of them were sat outside in the sunshine, enjoying their lunches.</p><p>“You’re so lucky to have an uncle who can cook so well,” said Cassie, enviously eying up Ottilie’s pasta salad that Stefan had made for her to take to school. </p><p>Ottilie laughed, “it’s their Italian roots,” she joked. </p><p>“Well if isn’t little Ottilie,” came a sneering voice from behind them. Ottilie’s head shot around as she looked to see where the voice was coming from. </p><p>“Hi Abigail,” she said, cautiously, seeing the girl walking towards them followed by the older girls who had been picking on her. Ottilie sighed as she saw them together – just her luck that her old bullies had found companionship with her new ones… </p><p>“We’ve been having some wonderful conversations with Abigail,” drawled Claire, the older girl. “So many stories…” she sneered, as the other girls laughed nastily. “Where to start…” </p><p>Greg looked over at them, frowning. “Hey, leave her alone. She hasn’t done anything to you.”</p><p>“Oooooh!” sneered the girls, “Greg’s got himself a girlfriend!” Greg felt his cheeks redden but didn’t take his eyes off the girls who were now standing intimidatingly in front of Ottilie.</p><p>“Although why you’d choose her, I’ll never understand,” spat Abigail. “She’s so pathetic.” The girls continued laughing and Greg felt his temper rising as he saw Ottilie grow pale and Cassie grab hold of her hand. </p><p>“But don’t worry, Greggy,” sneered Claire. “We will leave her alone, for now…” She turned, flicking her hair over her shoulder and stalked back towards the school, the other girls close at her heels. </p><p>Ottilie let out a shaky breath, and Greg quickly snapped his gaze to look her over. “You okay? Everything good?” he gestured to his heart and she nodded, understanding his implication. </p><p>“Yeah I’m fine, thanks for sticking up for me guys, I really appreciate it.” Her friends smiled sympathetically at her and they sat back down to finish their lunch. Ottilie put hers away, unfinished, but was unable to eat anymore as she was feeling so on edge. Just when I thought school couldn’t get any worse… she thought. She just had to get through the rest of the day, then she could spend the afternoon with Greg and Cassie in peace after school.</p><p>“I can’t believe you made me come to this,” hissed Damon, glaring at his brother who was knelt next to him, grinning smugly. </p><p>“Hey, you never know when you’ll need this; you might thank me some day!” retorted Stefan.</p><p>Damon was about to argue back when Dr Laughlin walked into the dingily-lit room in the community centre.  </p><p>“Hi everyone, I’m Dr Laughlin, but please, just call me Jo. Thank you for coming to this session. I hope you find it informative, and that you never have to utilise any of the skills you learned here, but if you do, I think this course will stand you in good stead to save a life.” </p><p>Jo guided the group through infant and child first aid basics, until finally, she asked a person from each pair to collect a CPR dummy. Stefan brought one over and Damon instantly paled at the tiny, childlike size of it. Stefan looked at him sympathetically, “it’s okay, brother. It’s important that you know this.” </p><p>Damon set his mouth grimly and nodded, feeling slightly sick at the thought of having to do this in real life. </p><p>“Does anyone have any questions?” asked Jo, having lead the group through  a few practices on the dummy. Nobody raised their hand so they continued practicing, taking it turns on the dummy. </p><p>Eventually, Damon sat back on his heels and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ve had enough, Stefan,” he said quietly. “I know what I need to know, and this,” he gestured at the small dummy in front of him, “is a reminder of things I don’t want or need to think about right now.” </p><p>Stefan nodded, completely understanding and went to thank Jo for them both before they left, heading to the grill for a much needed drink.  </p><p>They spent the afternoon in there, enjoying eachothers company, and that of Lexi, Kol and Klaus when they arrived later on. Caroline, Matt, Tyler and Alaric arrived after school had finished, and they all sat in a large booth chatting and catching up. </p><p>“So what did you two do today?” asked Caroline, sipping at her drink that she had surreptitiously mixed blood into. </p><p>Damon shrugged and glared at Stefan. “He made me go to an child first aid and CPR class” he said accusingly. </p><p>“Well you never know when you might need it!” said Stefan and Caroline in unison, before looking at each other in astonishment and bursting out laughing. Damon rolled his eyes at them, failing to miss the looks he saw his brother giving Caroline. Oh great, he thought,  at least he’s moving on from Elena…</p><p>“You know Alaric took that class,” said Caroline, smiling slyly at Alaric who started blushing, despite his best attempts to hide it. “Twice…” she added as Damon smirked at him. </p><p>“I wonder why…” he teased, enjoying Alaric’s embarrassment. “I personally found the teacher to be riveting,” he joked. Alaric scoffed at him and left to get another drink. </p><p>“Anyway,” said Damon, standing to leave. “I’m going to head home to see Otti. Are you staying here, Stefan?” </p><p>His brother nodded, still looking at Caroline</p>
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<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
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    <p>
  <b>Just a heads up, possible trigger warning later in this chapter for descriptions of child abuse. Take care x</b>
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<p> </p>
<p>Damon watched his daughter as she sat doing her homework. Something was off, but he just couldn’t put his finger on what it was. They’d celebrated her birthday that week with a nice meal for them and her friends, but she hadn’t wanted to do too much, preferring to stay in with Lexi, Damon and Stefan.</p>
<p>Stefan was happy to put it down to her being worried about the whole Marcel debacle, but Damon was convinced that it was something more. If he asked her do something, she’d scurry off immediately to do it, even if it wasn’t urgent, and if he spoke too loudly, she’d flinch and lower her big eyes from him. She was more distant than she’d ever been and rarely spoke now unless spoken too. Damon realised, suddenly, that it was like she’d regressed back to how she’d been when he’d first found her.</p>
<p>He called Ric, asking him to meet him at the grill for a drink. He knew that if something was wrong at school, Ric would be the most likely to point lead him to the problem.</p>
<p>“Hey buddy,” he said, sinking heavily into the seat opposite Alaric, who was ready and waiting with two glasses of whisky.</p>
<p>“How’s it going, Damon?” asked Alaric, swilling the liquid around the glass before taking a sip and sliding Damon’s glass over to him.</p>
<p>Damon took it gratefully and sighed, “I’m fine, Ric, but I’m worried about Ottilie. Something’s going on and I don’t know what it is or how to fix it.”</p>
<p>Alaric nodded, “yeah, she doesn’t seem to be herself. I mean, don’t get me wrong, she’s never been chatty or anything in class, but she barely makes a peep now. It’s like she’s frightened of everyone and everything.”</p>
<p>“But her grades are okay? She’s not struggling?”</p>
<p>Alaric shook his head firmly, “no, she’s near the top of my class, and I know that she’s acing everything else because other teachers have commented on how well she does despite missing so much school to her condition.”</p>
<p>Damon smirked, pleased that his daughter was evidently doing so well. But that didn’t solve the problem. “Friends?” he prompted.</p>
<p>“A few, but close. You likely know them – she seems to spend most her time. With Cassie and Greg.”</p>
<p>Again, this confirmed what Damon already knew and he sighed frustratedly. He wasn’t getting anywhere.</p>
<p>“The only change there’s been is there is a new girl in their year, but I don’t see why that would be such a problem.”</p>
<p>Damon looked at Ric thoughtfully, taking a long, slow sip of his drink. “Hmmm,” he said, “and what is the new student’s name?”</p>
<p>Ric looked affronted, “I can’t tell you that, Damon. I can’t give that kind of information out.”</p>
<p>Damon just shrugged. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll find out another way,” he smirked at Alaric, toasted to his health and drained the rest of his glass. “Right, I’d best be off, cheers for the help Ric.”</p>
<p>Arriving back home, Damon found Ottilie sat in the garden with Cassie, both of them reading their set works for English. Damon almost found himself scoffing at them – well she definitely takes after Stefan in that respect, he thought.</p>
<p>“Hi girls,” he said, walking over to them, noticing Ottilie jump at the sound of his voice. He winced inwardly, and decided to put his plan into action to discover whether his theory about Ottilie’s recent change was due to what he thought it was. “Otti, there are some snacks inside, why don’t we go and grab them for you two to have whilst you work outside? You go and get started with those, and I’ll head down to the cellar to grab you some cold drinks, okay?”</p>
<p>Ottilie nodded and got up without a word, scurrying off to do his bidding. Damon looked down at Cassie, still sat on the ground. “Can I help?” she asked, politely.</p>
<p>He nodded, “you can actually,” he said. “Tell me, what’s the name of the new girl in your class?” He noticed how Cassie immediately avoided eye contact with him and blushed. “Cassie, I need to know please” he said, a little more firmly.</p>
<p>“It’s Abigail Price,” she whispered. “Please don’t tell Otti I told you?” Damon was confused but agreed, and headed inside to get the drinks that he’d promised.</p>
<p>He found Ottilie in the kitchen, pouring some crisps into a bowl, her hands trembling. He walked over to her and said gently, “Otti, I don’t understand what’s happening with you right now, but I need you to know that you can talk to me about anything, okay? I can help you, but you have to let me in.” She nodded, her eyes swimming with tears, but she remained silent. Damon sighed, realising that she still wasn’t going to tell him, and took the bowl from her, carrying it for her back outside to her friend.</p>
<p>“Klaus, hi,” he said into the phone, “sorry to bother you. Just a quick question, what was the name of the woman who Ottilie was living with before she came here?”</p>
<p>“Hey mate, it was Christine Price, I believe” came the reply Damon had expected.</p>
<p>Damon watched grimly out the window as his daughter and her friend read in companionable silence. “Cheers, Klaus,” he said before hanging up. Heading downstairs, he spread out on the sofa, lost in thought as he lay there trying to figure out how to fix this for Ottilie. He almost didn’t notice Lexi joining him, sitting next to him on the sofa and leaning her head against him.</p>
<p>“What’s on your mind?” she asked softly as he absent-mindedly shifted to make more room for her.</p>
<p>“Just stuff with Ottilie,” he said, sighing and running a hand through his hair.</p>
<p>“Can I help?” Lexi asked kindly.</p>
<p>He shrugged, “I don’t know, Lexi. I don’t know if anyone of us can help. I just found out that there’s a new girl in her class who I’m pretty sure is the daughter of the woman that Ottilie had to live with. I’m not sure exactly what happened to her there but when she first came to live with us, she was covered in scars, marks and burns. I think she was abused.” He said softly, hating to say it aloud.</p>
<p>Lexi was shocked. She knew that Ottilie had had a tough time before she came to live with Stefan and Damon and she couldn’t imagine what it must be like for the little girl to have a constant reminder of that every day in the shape of the girl who once may have helped torment her.</p>
<p>“I just don’t understand why she hasn’t told me,” said Damon, “why doesn’t she trust me?” he added, fretfully.</p>
<p>Lexi took one of his hands in his and stroked it gently. “I’m sure it’s not that she doesn’t trust you, sweetie,” she said, “maybe it’s more that she doesn’t know how to bring it up, and she doesn’t want to upset you?”</p>
<p>Damon sighed heavily, “I’ll just have to ask her about it, I guess?” he asked.</p>
<p>Lexi nodded, and Damon leaned over to kiss her gently on the cheek. “Thanks, Lexi,” he said, “Thank you for listening.”</p>
<p>She smiled warmly at him, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks as she leaned in, seemingly about to return the kiss.</p>
<p>Just then, Ottilie walked in, and seeing Damon and Lexi sat together on the sofa, quickly made for the stairs to give them some privacy. “Ottilie!” called Damon, suddenly spotting her, and Lexi pulled away, shuffling away from him to the end of the sofa.</p>
<p>Ottilie turned pale as she heard her name being shouted, and she stopped where she was on the stairs, facing Damon and Lexi, but averting her eyes.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” she stammered, “I didn’t mean to intrude, I’ll knock next time, I promise…”</p>
<p>“What?” asked Damon, surprised at her outburst, “it’s your home, you don’t have to knock!”</p>
<p>“You’re not angry with me?” she asked, confused.</p>
<p>Damon shook his head. “No, of course not, please come and sit here. I need to ask you something.”</p>
<p>Lexi whispered to him, “do you want me to leave you to it?”</p>
<p>“Please, stay.” He said softly to him, gripping hold of her hand and pulling her closer to him again. “Come and sit with us, little lady,” he said to Ottilie, gesturing at the chair opposite the sofa. “I don’t want to upset you but I need to ask you some questions.”</p>
<p>Ottilie nodded, her lips so tight that they were turning white, and her hands were clasped tightly together. Damon frowned at her clear show of distress and quickly rushed to try and put her at ease. “You’re not in trouble, Otti, I promise.” She didn’t reply and he decided to push ahead.</p>
<p>“I know that there’s a new girl in your class, Abigail Price.” Her eyes shot up to meet his and he saw the panic and alarm present in them. “I think she was someone who was in the house you used to live in before you came here. Am I right?” The little girl nodded carefully, her eyes still fixed on Damon. “Does she hurt you at school?”</p>
<p>Damon asked, wincing at how bluntly the question came out, but unsure as to how to ask it in any other way. “No, she doesn’t,” he was initially relieved at her answer, “but the others have hurt me before” she finished in a monotone voice, sending shivers down Damon’s spine.</p>
<p>“The others?” he probed gently, trying to push down the anger he felt rising through him at the thought of someone hurting his daughter.</p>
<p>“Claire Dobson and her friends. They’ve hurt me before. They pushed me about and beat me whilst I was on the ground. Then I had one of my attacks” She said bluntly. “But Abigail hasn’t hurt me. She never did. She just uses words.”</p>
<p>Damon watched as his daughter spoke, her face completely free of any emotion, speaking the words as if she were reciting the alphabet. “What does she say to you, Otti?” he asked softly, almost fearing the answer.</p>
<p>“She reminds me of the things that used to happen to me; she threatens to tell everyone about it; she says I’m pathetic, broken and waste of a life.” Damon heard Lexi choke up next to him moved towards Ottilie to try and hold her, grimacing a little as she flinched away from him.</p>
<p>“Can I touch you, Otti?” he asked gently and after she nodded, took her into his arms. “Can you tell me what happened to you, Otti?” he asked, holding his breath to find out whether he’d gone too far or asked too much.</p>
<p>She shook her head. “No, I can’t tell you, but I can show you?” He looked at her confused but she took his hand, and looking questioningly at Lexi, who then nodded, took hers too. Closing her eyes, she began to focus on the memories that still plagued her of her time with the Price family, and Damon and Lexi found themselves watching them, as if they were in them.</p>
<p>*FLASHBACK* Possible trigger warning: descriptions of child abuse (not sexual)</p>
<p>“You won’t speak, you’ll cook, clean, whatever we need of you. Understand?” spat a tall, austere looking woman, towering over a tiny girl in a grey dress who was gazing up at her, nodding. “You’ll eat when you’ve earned it, and you’ll sleep when you’ve earned it. Everything that happens to you is because of you.”</p>
<p>The woman pushed her away and the memory suddenly melted into a new one. Here, Ottilie was a little older, still younger than when Damon had found her but around 6 years old. She was in the kitchen, trying desperately to lift a pan of water on the stove that was taller than her. She tottered on a stool, resting the pan on the side, only for it to fall, clattering to the ground with a bang. Younger Ottilie gasped as the hot water splashed over her skin, and waited for the inevitable screaming from Mrs Price who arrived presently. She ran over to the girl and seeing the mess, slapped her so hard that she fell from the stool, landing on the stone floor of the kitchen.</p>
<p>“You idiot,” she shrieked at the small child lying in the pool of hot water on the floor. Lifting the heavy pan from where it had fallen, she hit Ottilie around the head with it, knocking her out cold and laughing as her head fell back to the stone floor.</p>
<p>Another memory, this time Ottilie was closer to the age that Damon recognised her to be from when he found her. She was thin, pale and shaky, clearly malnourished and exhausted. She was lying on the blanket that functioned as her bed, and Damon and Lexi could see the blue around her lips as she shivered uncontrollably from the cold. They heard Mrs Price shout for her, and saw her scramble to her feet, swaying as she stood from lack of food.</p>
<p>“Yes, Mrs Price?” asked Ottilie, as she followed the sound her shouting down to the kitchen, finding the woman standing over the fruit bowl, seething.</p>
<p>“How dare you,” she hissed, glaring at Ottilie. “How dare you steal from me, after all I’ve done for you.”</p>
<p>Ottilie was shaking her head in panic, “no, please, I haven’t stolen anything, I wouldn’t!”</p>
<p>“Don’t speak to me!” screamed Mrs Price. “And don’t lie, Abigail said that she saw you take an apple from the bowl. My daughter doesn’t lie, she’s not pathetic, broken scum like you!”</p>
<p>Ottilie was crying now, silent tears running from her big green eyes down her pale, blue-tinged face as she dreaded what punishment was coming her way. She glimpsed Abigail grinning evilly at her through the open kitchen door, running before her mother would notice her there.</p>
<p>Looking back up at Mrs Price, she tried once more to defend herself before she was hit hard around the head. She staggered back with the force of the hit, and blinked aggressively, trying to keep the black dots threatening to take over her vision at bay.</p>
<p>“You will not eat for the rest of the week,” hissed Mrs Price, pointing an accusatory finger at Ottilie.</p>
<p>“Please, Mrs Price, it’s only Monday, and I’ve not been allowed to eat since Wednesday…” pleaded Ottilie.</p>
<p>“Then you shouldn’t steal from me,” said Mrs Price, coldly.</p>
<p>“I didn’t!” protested Ottilie before she felt an impact with her chest, shoulder and arm, and looking down, saw herself covered in glass, and her thin dress starting to turn red. Mrs Price picked up another empty bottle from the recycling box, and threw it again at the little girl, this time, hitting her head.</p>
<p>Damon and Lexi watched in horror as Ottilie fell to the floor, blood seeping from the shallow cuts on her body, and the large, deeper cuts on her bare arms and head.</p>
<p>There was one more memory that Ottilie showed them. She was older again, dressed in the same ragged blue dress that she had worn all those years ago when Damon had rescued her. Again, she was in the kitchen, carrying the burning plates to the dining room before she got caught eying up a bread roll.</p>
<p>Mrs Price walked in, “How dare you?” seethed the woman. “You dare steal from me, after all I’ve done for you. Get out!”</p>
<p>Ottilie hesitated, just for second. It was enough time for the woman to grab and empty glass bottle and throw it at her, watching with satisfaction as the bottle impacted with the girls head, and her vision exploded into a world of white and stars. The woman leaned over her, “you need to leave. If I ever catch you near my house again, I will kill you” she whispered.</p>
<p>Damon and Lexi watched as the little girl pulled herself onto her feet, not able to see where she was going through the blood pouring down her face, and stumbled to the back door in the kitchen. From there, she traipsed through the snow, leaving a trail of blood through the snow. They could see her swaying with exhaustion and suffering the effects of blood loss before she crumpled down, her body giving way.</p>
<p>Hearing a noise in the distance, Lexi and Damon looked in it’s direction and saw Damon walking towards the little girl, finding her leant against a tree trunk. Kneeling in front of her, ignoring how the cold snow was seeping through his jeans, he wrapped the tiny body in his coat and lifted her gently into his arms, holding her tightly to him, before setting off, taking her home.</p>
<p>*END OF FLASHBACK*</p>
<p>Ottilie gently let go of Damon and Lexi’s hands, and they all opened their eyes, blinking at the harsh light of the present day. The two vampires were speechless as they tried to process what they had just seen, and come to terms with the fact that they’d only seen a snippet of the horrors of Ottilie’s time in the Price house.</p>
<p>Lexi had tears running down her face as she looked at the young girl sat silently in front of them, her head down, eyes averted from them.</p>
<p>Damon put a hand under his daughters chin and lifted her head so that she was looking at him. “Thank you for showing us, Otti,” he said. “Nothing I can say or do will make up for what you’ve had to go through, but I can stop that from ever happening again, and I promise, I will make sure of it.”</p>
<p>She nodded, smiling slightly, although still obviously traumatised by having to relive those memories. Damon pulled her to him carefully, wrapping his arms around her tiny frame and kissing the top of her head, relieved as he felt her relaxing into his embrace. “My little Otter,” he said adoringly, holding her tightly. “How I love you”</p>
<p> <b>That was a long and heavy one - but important in Ottilie's timeline, I feel. Please let me know your thoughts, and thanks for reading! SEG21 xx</b></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a week since Ottilie had shown Lexi and Damon some of her past at the Price house, and the two vampires were still reeling at the thought of what she’d gone through, unable to comprehend why anybody would treat anyone like that, let alone an innocent child. </p><p>Damon spoke to Stefan, briefly outlining what he’d seen, and the two of them, along with Lexi formulated  a plan to deal with the issues Ottilie was having at school. It wasn’t exactly an approved method of dealing with bullying, Damon thought wryly to himself, but where his daughter was concerned, he was willing to go to the ends of the earth. </p><p>It was the last day of term before the summer break, and Damon was waiting outside the school, leaning against the side of his blue camero. He heard the bell ring and watched as the students filed out, many of them rejoicing at the thought of the long summer ahead. He spied Stefan leaving with Caroline, his arm wrapped fondly around her shoulders, and smirked. </p><p>He looked to the other door where the younger students were exiting the building, and spotted Greg, Ottilie’s friend. He walked up to him, smiling at him disarmingly. “Hi Greg,” he said, “how you doing?” </p><p>Greg looked at him, a little taken aback by being addressed by Damon Salvatore in public. “I’m fine thanks, Mr Salvatore.” </p><p>“I don’t suppose you could point out Abigail Price for me, could you Greg?” he asked, watching as Greg swallowed nervously, his eyes flickering over to a girl who was stood talking with some other, taller girls. “Ah, that’ll do, thank you, Greg!” Damon strode off towards the group of girls before turning back to face the young boy. “Oh, no need to talk to Ottilie about this, hey?” he said, with faked friendliness, his meaning clear in his look. Greg nodded quickly and disappeared into the crowd of students. </p><p>Damon continued up to the group of girls, all laughing over something the tallest one was saying, and listened into their conversation.</p><p> “And then, Mr Curzon said that she’d be moving up to the next grade for a few classes – eurgh – what a nerd!!” sneered the younger girl.</p><p>“Ew, so we are going to have to put up with stupid Ottilie in our class now?” shrieked the tallest of the group. “Well, all the more time for me to make her miserable little life even more miserable!” They giggled nastily, not noticing Damon leaning against a nearby tree until he spoke. </p><p>“You know, I felt bad earlier about what I’m going to do, but having heard all that…” he gestured at them, “I’m quite looking forward to it.” </p><p>The girls turned quickly to look at him, suddenly scared by him. </p><p>“Oh, hi!” he said brightly, matching their bitchy voices. “I’m Damon.” They looked at him blankly. “Salvatore? You might know my daughter?” </p><p>The girls had the decency to look ashamed and stared at the ground, shuffling their feet nervously. </p><p>“Yes, I thought so. Now, let’s see. You,” he sped over so he was looking straight into the eyes of the tallest girl. “You will never speak to my daughter again, you will have nothing but good things to say about her, and you will never, ever, pick on anybody ever again. Go and remember nothing of this.” He compelled the two other taller girls in the same way before turning to the younger girl, who was now trembling. “And you,” he said, smiling sweetly at her. “You’re Abigail?” she nodded, shakily. “I’ve heard such,” he looked around as if searching for the right words, “such wonderful things about you.” Crouching so that he was looking straight into her eyes, he compelled her. “You are going leave Ottilie alone, never speak to her unless she initiates the conversation, you’ll have nothing but good things to say about her, and you’ll never bring up her past to her, or anyone else, ever again. Go and remember nothing of this.” </p><p>The girl turned and ran, never looking back and Damon smiled to himself, satisfied, and went back to his car where he saw Ottilie waiting for him. She smiled and waved at him and he felt his heart melt at the thought of her so pleased to see him. He walked over to her and hugged her tightly, “it’s summer time, sweetheart!” he whispered into her ear, loving the sound of her giggle.</p><p> </p><p>They didn’t have too much planned for summer. Damon had wanted to whisk Ottilie off with Stefan and Lexi for a tour around Europe to show her all his old haunts, at which Stefan had raised an eyebrow and told him that that was absolutely not suitable for a 13 year old. Besides, as far as they knew, Marcel still thought that Lexi was dead, and the fact that he didn’t know that Ottilie could heal his bite was one of the only advantages they currently had over him. </p><p>Damon scoffed at him, accusing him of simply wanting to waste the summer drooling over Caroline. When his brother barely protested, he knew he’d hit the jackpot and Lexi had smirked at him, obviously coming to the same conclusion. </p><p>So with his summer plans scuppered, Damon resolved to throw himself into researching everything he could to gain an advantage over Marcel, and to support Ottilie in her practice with her magic. </p><p>A month into the holidays and Damon was sat watching as Ottilie showed him her latest skill. Proudly holding her grimoire that Kol had given to her out to him, she explained the carefully drawn diagrams and words as he studied them. “It’s a spell that can slow down a heartbeat,” she said, “I can make it last as long as I need to and make it steady! I can do it on myself!” </p><p>Damon frowned up at her, not wanting to curtail her excitement but slightly worried by what he was hearing. “Is that safe, Otti?” he asked with concern. </p><p>She shrugged, “I don’t see why not – I’m only slowing it down to what it should normally be. The only thing is, it takes quite a lot of concentration so I don’t stop it altogether, so I can’t do it so well if I’m also doing other spells.” </p><p>Damon looked at her, “well obviously – please be careful!!” He said, a little exasperated by her blasé attitude to what he perceived to be a potentially deadly spell. </p><p>It was at that point that Damon, looking more carefully at his daughter, realised that her eyes had glassed over, and she was staring into space, seemingly at nothing in particular. He tried to push down the panic he felt rising and took hold of her upper arms, shaking her gently and calling her name, trying to snap her out of whatever trance she was in. </p><p>After a few seconds, she blinked suddenly, and blood began to drip from her nose. She shook her head briskly, as if trying to wake up, and stared up at Damon, her face suddenly taking on a look of fear. “He’s taken Caroline,” she whispered in horror.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“We need to find Stefan,” said Ottilie, grabbing Damon by the arm and dragging him into the house, looking around for her uncle. </p><p>“Otti, wait!” cried Damon, “who’s got Caroline? And how do you know?” </p><p>“I don’t know! I guess it’s something to do with the Adfectus part of me – people I care about – maybe I can tell when they’re in danger? I just know that someone has Caroline, okay?” </p><p>“Damn it, STEFAN!” Damon shouted for his brother, impatient with looking for him, and he  arrived presently, looking concerned at the shouting. </p><p>“What’s going on?” he asked. </p><p>“Otti says that someone has got Caroline,” said Damon. </p><p>“I need something of Caroline’s” instructed Ottilie, “I can track her, and then we can go and rescue her.” </p><p>Stefan sped off to find something belonging to Caroline, ignoring Damon’s smirk when he returned with a t shirt that belonged to her. Ottilie, seemingly oblivious to the implications of this, took the shirt and shut her eyes. </p><p>“Got her,” she announced after a few moments. The two brothers stared at her, astounded at the sudden change in the little girl. She seemed so confident and assured. “Let’s go!” she said, looking at the two of them as if they were stupid. </p><p>“Not so fast, little lady!” said Damon, putting his hands on her shoulders to stop her as she made her way to his car. “You’re staying right here with Lexi!” </p><p>“No way!” she protested, “you don’t even know where they are! You need me!” </p><p>Damon looked at Stefan for support who shrugged apologetically, “She has a point, brother,” he said, grimacing at the death look Damon sent his way. </p><p>“Fine” hissed Damon. “You tell us where to go, we get there, you stay in the car, and Stefan and I will handle it from there.” </p><p>“Sure,” she said, with an innocent smile that made Damon suspicious. </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>“So where are we going?” asked Damon as he started up the car, all three of them crammed into his camero.</p><p>“Head to Portland, there’s a little town just south of it called Rondesville. We need to go there. As we get closer, I’ll get a clearer of where she is” Ottilie instructed as Damon pulled out of the drive. </p><p>They drove for around 30 minutes, all of them in silence, fearing what they might find when they got to Rondesville. Driving past the ‘Welcome to Rondesville’ sign, Ottilie suddenly spoke up. “Take a left here, then a right.”</p><p>Damon did as she asked and they pulled up to a dilapidated, old warehouse. “She’s in there,” said Ottilie, pointing to the building.</p><p>“You’ll stay here,” said Damon sternly, turning from the driver’s seat to frown at Ottilie who was sulking in the back seat. </p><p>“For now,” she smirked, “but if I feel anything that tells me you guys are in trouble, I’m coming straight in!” </p><p>Damon rolled his eyes, “don’t go getting a hero complex on me, little lady,” he said, “that’s Stefan’s job…” </p><p>Stefan ignored him and got out of the car, surveying the crumbling building in front of him. “We don’t know what’s going to be inside,” he said, trying hard not to show the fear that he felt for Caroline. </p><p>“Just stick with me, little brother,” smirked Damon, “I’ll look after you.”</p><p>Stefan scoffed and headed towards the door of the building, raising his eyebrows at the open door, but stepping inside nevertheless. The brothers crept around the empty building, listening carefully for any signs of Caroline or anyone else who might be around. Suddenly, they heard a scream coming from the basement of the building – the only part they hadn’t yet explored. </p><p>“Caroline…” whispered Stefan in horror, staring at his brother with terror in his green eyes.</p><p>Without another word, the brothers sped down the stairs to the basement, hiding behind a piece of crumbling wall. From their position, they could see Caroline, strung up with ropes that were seemingly covered in vervain, blood dripping from the many wounds on her body. Stefan, seeing Caroline’s strife made to move in towards her, but was stopped by Damon’s cautionary hand on his shoulder and a quick shake of his head. </p><p>“Ah don’t worry, Care,” came a voice. Although the brothers could not see the person it belonged to, it sounded eerily familiar. “The lovely Salvatores are already here to save you, they’re just taking their time, trying to work out how the hell this is possible. Am I right, boys?” </p><p>From their hiding place, Damon and Stefan exchanged stunned looks. “Kai…?!” whispered Damon. </p><p>“Yep!” said Kai, and the wall in front of them suddenly disintegrated into dust. “Did you miss me?” </p><p>“How…” began Damon, still in shock.</p><p>“Oh Damon,” sighed Kai, in mock disappointment, “surely you know by now, even hell cannot keep me down.” He smiled sinisterly at them. “Now then, the lovely Caroline has been suffering for some time. Do either one of you fancy taking her place?” He gestured with a small dagger at them both, and Stefan took a hurried step forwards. </p><p>“I will,” he said, his eyes fixed on the broken Caroline behind Kai. </p><p>“Psych!” laughed Kai, manically, “You guys can just watch whilst I carry on. I’m interested, you see, in how long Carebear here can last if I just…keep…poking!” He accentuated the words, stabbing Caroline with the dagger as she groaned in pain, leaving the dagger in her side with his last jab.</p><p>“What do you want, Kai?” demanded Damon. </p><p>“What do I want?” repeated Kai, as if surprised that it wasn’t obvious. “I just want to have fun, Damon. Isn’t that what we all want?” </p><p>Damon shook his head in disbelief, “you’re crazy…” he muttered, and Kai sped over to him, suddenly seeming to seethe in rage at him. </p><p>“No, Salvatore,” he hissed, “you’re crazy. What kind of dumb imbecile brings an Adfectus Witch on an expedition where they don’t know what they’re letting themselves in for?” </p><p>He looked at the two brothers, laughing now, “oh wait, I know! The kind of dumb imbecile that leaves said witch unguarded in a, frankly lovely, vintage car!” </p><p>He’d barely finished his words before Damon sped off, out of the building, looking frantically for Ottilie. </p><p>Stefan, still staring at Caroline, addressed the siphoner. “You know about the Adfectus Witch?” he asked.</p><p>“Well of course, Stef,” exclaimed Kai, throwing his hands up in disbelief, “Marcel told me all about her and I just had to meet her, you know? All that power I could just…” he shuddered in delight, “consume…”</p><p>Stefan looked a little ill at this, and turned his attention to Caroline, who was looking weaker and weaker. Kai watched Stefan looking at her, and sudden look of understanding washed over his face. </p><p>“Well this just gets better and better!” he announced, clapping his hands together, “what happened with the lovely Elena? Too good to be true?” He sneered.</p><p>“Pretty much,” retorted Stefan, trying his hardest not to get riled by Kai, which was taking up every ounce of his self-control. </p><p>Just then, Damon rushed back into the room and had Kai pinned to the wall by his neck. “Oh hey, Damon!” smiled Kai, brightly, before shoving Damon off him so hard that he flew through one of the crumbling walls. </p><p>“Where is she?” hissed Damon, pulling himself off the floor and dusting himself off. </p><p>“Damned if I know,” shrugged Kai. “She’s your ward, isn’t she? It’s kinda your job to know where she is – you know, part of the job description?” </p><p>Damon was seething. “I’ll kill you,” he threatened, “What. Have. You. Done. With. Her?!” He demanded.</p><p>Kai rolled his eyes, “come now, Damon. You’re no fun when you’re grumpy! I’m sure she’s fine – she’s probably been taken by my little helpers to be with Marcel by now, and when I’m finished here, I can go and siphon all those lovely powers from her, fulfil my part of the bargain with Marcel, then off I go, freeeeee as a bird!” </p><p>“What’s your deal with Klaus?” asked Stefan, already afraid that he knew the answer.</p><p>“I suppose I may as well tell you – Marcel won’t let you live that long anyhow, and it’s not like you can actually stop me! Marcel wants to sire his new super hybrids to himself, and the Adfectus Witch is the only one strong enough to do the spell. But he knew that this little witch would be unlikely to contribute willingly to the cause, so Marcel offered me a deal. We catch the witch, I siphon the power and create the sire bonds, and he lets me keep the witch so that I have unlimited power forever. Pretty neat, huh?” </p><p>He looked around for confirmation but found only horrified faces. “God, you guys are so boring…” he whinged. </p><p>Just then, they heard a loud noise from above them, and they all looked up to try and ascertain where the sound had come from. </p><p>“Who else is here?” hissed Kai, his bravado suddenly diminished, but the Salvatore brothers were equally clueless, staring around the room for any signs of the cause of the disturbance. The three of them crept up the stairs, back up to the main part of the warehouse. </p><p>Caroline was drifting in and out of consciousness, the pain and blood loss almost unbearable. Suddenly, she felt gentle tugs at the knots around her ankles, and looking down, she saw Ottilie making quick work of untying them. “Otti, what are you doing here?” she whispered hoarsely, as she landed silently on her feet when Ottilie had freed her. </p><p>Ottilie didn’t answer her question but offered Caroline her wrist, which Caroline took reluctantly. She knew, however, that if she were to look out for Ottilie, she needed to be as strong as possible. Taking as little blood as possible, she felt her wounds healing and her strength returning. </p><p>“Otti, they’re coming back. Hide!” She whispered urgently. </p><p>“Caroline, use the dagger on Kai, okay? Do you trust me?” asked Ottilie, hiding behind a stack of boxes. Caroline nodded, just as she felt herself being lifted up, back to where she had been strung up by ropes. The ropes moved back to where her arms were being held, but they never touched her so she didn’t feel the sting of the vervain. She still had the dagger in her side, but knew now what Ottilie had in mind. </p><p>“There’s no one else here, Kai,” exclaimed Damon in frustration as they came back down the stairs. </p><p>Kai ignored him, but seeing Caroline still in the same sorry condition brought a villainous smile to his face. That was until he was suddenly clutching at his head, screaming in pain as blood poured from his nose, ears and eyes. “No, make it stop!” he cried.</p><p>Suddenly, Caroline was behind him, wielding the knife that she’d pulled from her side. “As you wish,” she spat, plunging it deep into his back. Kai fell to the floor with a howl, blood gushing from the wound. “That felt good,” she said, smiling brightly at the astonished brothers. </p><p>Snapping into action, Stefan ran over to Caroline, who was still not fully healed, to support her as they hurried back to car. “Ottilie is behind the crates!” she called back to Damon, who instantly sped over to find his daughter. </p><p>He found her curled up behind a crate, wiping the blood from her nose before she weakly smiled, and reached her arms out to him. He gently picked her up and set her down on her feet. “Can you walk, Otti?” he asked softly, pushing some hair from her face before holding her head in his hands and checking her for any injuries. </p><p>Her eyes starting rolling back and he felt her knees give way and her body go limp. Quickly moving his hands from her cheeks, he caught her around her shoulders and waist before scooping her up into his arms. “Okay, sweetheart,” he whispered to her, “let’s get you home.” </p><p>Sending one more glance at Kai who was on the floor bleeding out, he sped off, clutching Ottilie to him, suddenly aware of her quickening heartbeat and shallow breathing. Arriving back at the car, he saw Stefan settling Caroline into the front passenger seat.</p><p>Stefan looked up and stared in shock as he saw his brother holding his unconscious niece. “Give her to me, Damon,” he said urgently, knowing that his brother would get them home faster. He squeezed into the back seat of the car and took Ottilie gently from Damon, supporting her head before resting it in the crook of his arm. Damon shut the door and they set off back to Mystic Falls. </p><p>“Stefan,” said Damon, barely able to mask the concern in his voice, “her heart – it’s racing…”</p><p>“I know, brother, I’ll keep an eye on her. You just get us home.” </p><p>“She said that she had a spell to keep her condition under control, but that she struggled to maintain it when doing magic.”</p><p>Stefan didn’t reply, suddenly concerned by the way that Ottilie’s fists were clenched shut and her breathing was increasingly shallow.</p><p>“Damon, I think…” he broke off as the little girl started convulsing in his lap, her limbs stiffening and her whole body shaking violently.</p><p>“What the hell’s going on back there?” demanded Damon, not daring to take his eyes off the road at the speed he was going. </p><p>Caroline, who had fallen asleep as soon as she got into the car, suddenly awoke, disturbed by Damon’s raised voice. Turning to look at the commotion in the back seat, she was horrified to see Stefan cradling Ottilie in his arms, trying to support her as she trembled uncontrollably. “Oh my god, Otti!” she cried, “Stefan, can’t you just give her some of your blood?” </p><p>Stefan shook his head, his eyes never leaving Ottilie’s face, “vampire blood doesn’t fix illnesses, only injury. And besides, even if we did, we can’t risk her becoming a vampire – she’s too young.” Caroline nodded, completely understanding, and continued watching as Stefan tried to keep his niece’s airway open and hold her safely. </p><p>The seizure finally stopped, and Ottilie fell limp once again against Stefan. Caroline let out a shaky sigh of relief before informing Damon who was still breaking every speed limit imaginable. “We’re about 15 minutes away,” he said, his eyes meeting Stefan’s through the rear view mirror. </p><p>Stefan stroked his little niece’s hair as her eyes remained clamped shut, “you’re okay, Otti, you’re okay,” he whispered soothingly, not even sure whether she would hear. He suddenly noticed the stillness of her chest and panickily, leant down to place his ear over her mouth. “No, no, dammit Ottilie, don’t do this! Not now!” He cried in alarm, before tilting her head back, pinching her nose shut and giving her rescue breaths for the third time since he’d known her. </p><p>“Oh my God,” whispered Caroline in horror as she watched Stefan working on Ottilie, tears springing to her eyes. She’d never witnessed the true extent of one of Ottilie’s attacks before, and she was feeling guilty that Ottilie had used so much magic to save her. </p><p>“Come on,” muttered Stefan, blowing air forcefully into her lungs, “breathe, dammit!” He balled his fist up and rubbed his knuckles aggressively over her sternum, trying to get her to respond. He could still hear her heart beating, and it was slowing, which was a good sign. If only he could just get her breathing again. </p><p>“Shall I pull over?” asked Damon, trying to keep his voice steady as he felt the panic rising. </p><p>“No,” instructed Stefan, between breaths, “no, get her home, we can look after her better there.”</p><p>Five minutes later and they were speeding through Mystic Falls towards the mansion. Damon had somehow miraculously shaved an extra five minutes off the journey, grimacing at the protest his poor old car was making. </p><p>Stefan was still breathing for Ottilie, pushing air into her lungs every few seconds before she took her first, independent breath. It was weak and shaky, but Stefan felt it, and so he stopped what he was doing and rubbed his knuckles over her bony chest one more time, trying to encourage her to take a deeper breath, and hopefully rouse her from unconsciousness. “That’s it, baby,” he said gently, “breathe for me, Otti, come on!” Her breaths became stronger and he could see her straining to get air in. He stroked her hair, trying to sooth her, just as they pulled up outside the mansion. </p><p>Damon was outside the car in a flash, pulling Ottilie from Stefan’s arms. “Take her inside,” instructed Stefan, and Damon sped off before allowing himself a moment to collapse back into his seat as the adrenaline started to wear off. Long as I live, he thought, I will never get used to doing that…</p><p>Caroline pulled him out the car and sped with him into the mansion where they found Damon bent over a tiny figure lying on the floor. “She’s breathing again, brother,” he said, the relief evident in his voice. Stefan nodded, not trusting himself to speak. </p><p>“Let’s get her comfy,” said Caroline, taking charge of the two shaken brother, knowing she was good in a crisis. “Damon, go and get her a blanket, Stefan, go and get us all something to drink. Water for Ottilie, and something… stronger… for us.” The brothers nodded and sped off to their tasks whilst Caroline picked the little girl up gently and laid her on the sofa, placing a soft cushion under her head. “You’ve changed those two,” she said softly, chuckling as she gently stroked her hand. </p><p>Damon arrived back with her blanket and cuddly teddy that the Mikaelsons had brought her a year ago. Caroline saw it and felt almost emotional at Damon doing such an un-Damon-like thing. </p><p>Damon noticed her looking at it, then him and shrugged. “What?” he said defensively, “it makes her feel safe!” Caroline just smiled warmly at him and Stefan arrived back with two glasses of bourbon, a bloodbag for Caroline and a glass of water for Ottilie. </p><p>“Now we wait…” said Damon, wearily.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Chapter 41</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Otti!” shouted Damon from the kitchen, waiting to hear his daughter’s footsteps padding down the stairs. It had been a week since the encounter with Kai, and Ottilie had recovered quickly, thanks in no small part to Damon and Stefan doting on her. </p><p>Presently, she arrived in the kitchen and Damon, smirking at her, held up a letter, waving it at her. “What’s that?” she asked, confused. </p><p>“That, little lady, is a letter from your school.”</p><p>Ottilie looked shocked and worried, her mouth falling open. “Oh my god, did I do something wrong?” </p><p>Damon chuckled, enjoying the irony of her fearing she’d done something wrong in comparison to the actual content of the letter. He shook his head, deciding eventually to put her out of her misery. “No, Otti, you’ve done nothing wrong. On the contrary, the school sent a letter to inform me that they’d advise you to move up a grade in some of your subjects.” </p><p>Ottilie’s face remained shocked, trying to take in this information. She knew she’d done well that year, and she’d worked hard, but she didn’t know she’d done that well. </p><p>“What subjects?” she asked, suddenly realising that some of her lessons wouldn’t be with her friends anymore. </p><p>“History,” Damon smirked, “I wonder why…” She just rolled her eyes. “French, Spanish and Maths.” </p><p>Ottilie tried to mask a groan, “but they’re going to be so much harder!” </p><p>Damon shrugged, “well we can help you? You don’t have to do it, Otti, but you should really think about it and whether it is the best thing for you to do.” </p><p>She nodded, her mind racing as she wondered whether she could cope with skipping ahead in those subjects. She found them relatively easy, but didn’t want to push herself too far.</p><p>“What’s going on?” asked Stefan, as he and Lexi entered the kitchen. </p><p>Damon smirked at him. “We have a genius in our midst,” he joked, looking at the two other vampires’ confused faces. “Otti has been advised that she can skip a year in a bunch of subjects.” </p><p>Stefan smiled widely at her, proud at her achievements. “That’s great, Otti, well done! Which subjects?” </p><p>“History, French, Spanish and Maths,” replied Damon, before Ottilie could answer. “She’s worried that they’ll be too hard, but I said that we could help her? I think it’s fair to say that we are all pretty good at history” he smirked again, catching Lexi laughing at his joke. </p><p>“Nice one, Otti,” she said warmly. “We can help with French and Spanish too. You know, I first met Damon in France, remember?” She looked over to Damon, her eyes slightly glazed as she reminisced. “You were the perfect French gentlemen. Man you sounded good speaking French.” </p><p>Stefan looked at her dumbfounded, whilst Ottilie turned to Damon. </p><p>“You speak French, and you never told me?” she accused.</p><p>Damon shrugged, “there’s a lot of things I’ve never told you…” he retorted, pulling a face at her which she readily returned. </p><p>“What else do you guys know?!” exclaimed Ottilie in disbelief that they hadn’t raised it sooner, or whilst she’d been struggling with homework. </p><p>“Well I speak Spanish and German…” said Stefan shrugging, somewhat apologetically. </p><p>“French, Russian and Mandarin,” smirked Damon, loving the astounded look he was getting from his daughter. </p><p>“I was the first woman to get a degree in Mathematics from Duke,” said Lexi breezily, as if it were nothing. </p><p>“You guys are unbelievable!” said Ottilie. “I cannot believe you’ve never told me all this, and you never offered to help me with my homework!” </p><p>They just laughed at her, only Stefan and Lexi having the grace to look a little guilty. </p><p>“We just wanted to make sure that you earned your marks by yourself,” defended Damon, “not everyone is lucky enough to have the likes of us,” he gestured to himself, Stefan and Lexi, “gracing their home with the superior knowledge.” </p><p>Ottilie glared at him, before laughing. “Fine, have I proven that I can earn my own grades?” </p><p>They all nodded. “Yup,” said Damon, popping the ‘p’, “and from tomorrow, we will spend the rest of the week conversing entirely in French. Okay?” </p><p>Lexi and Stefan exchanged looks, knowing that Damon was just showing off now, but Ottilie readily agreed, knowing the practice would help her get ahead for the start of term. “Then Spanish?” she asked, looking at Stefan hopefully. He nodded, smiling at her. </p><p>Lexi and Stefan left to go and meet Caroline at the grill, but Damon stayed a little longer to wait with Ottilie until her friends came to pick her up to go for a walk. </p><p>“Joking aside, Otti,” said Damon, serious all of a sudden, when they were alone in the kitchen. “I’m proud of you. You work hard, and it shows.”</p><p>She smiled at him and went over to hug him. “Thanks, Dadd…. Damon,” she said, blushing as she realised her near slip up. </p><p>It didn’t go unnoticed by Damon, and he kissed her softly on the head. “You call me whatever you want to, little otter.” He swore he felt her squeeze him a little tighter. </p><p> <b> A short and uneventful chapter, I’m afraid, but I wanted to show more of Ottilie and her familial relationships. Stay tuned for more action! Thanks for reading, SEG21 xx</b></p>
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<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Chapter 42</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was almost Christmas, and Ottilie was enjoying being back at school, managing well with being in the grade ahead in some of her subjects. She had been worried about seeing less of her friends, and more of Claire and the other bullies in the year ahead, but to her surprise, they hadn’t bothered her at all. When she’d mentioned it to Damon, he’d smiled wryly and she’d wondered if he’d compelled them to leave her alone. Either way, she wasn’t too bothered – they weren’t bullying her or anyone else anymore, and that was good enough for her. </p><p>Arriving home after school one day, Damon met her at the front door. “Hey little lady,” he said, taking her school bag from her, “good day?” </p><p>She nodded, smiling at him and hugged him.</p><p>“Klaus has invited us round of dinner tonight,” he continued, returning the hug, “so go and get on with your homework so you can enjoy the rest of your dinner.” </p><p>Ottilie was excited; she loved going round to the Mikaelson’s house and messing around with Kol. Rebekkah was so beautiful and sophisticated and Ottilie looked up to her greatly. Elijah was like a kind, wise uncle, and Klaus was the most amazing artist she’d ever seen, not that she’d seen many… </p><p>She rushed through her homework, snacking on fruit that Damon had brought for her, and got ready to go out, asking Lexi to do her hair for her. “Are you coming, Lexi?” she asked, as the vampire braided her hair carefully. </p><p>“Yep, Damon asked me if I wanted to go with him,” she replied, smiling to herself at the thought. </p><p>“Oooohhhh,” teased Ottilie, “Lexi and Damon, sitting in a tree, K I S S I N…” She broke off as Lexi stopped braiding to tickle her mercilessly. “Okay I’ll stop, I’ll stop! Sorrryyy!!!” she laughed.</p><p>Lexi continued braiding her hair, still smiling to herself. “Besides,” continued Ottilie, “I think it’d be wonderful if you and Damon were in love…”</p><p>Lexi tied off the braid and kissed the little girl briefly on the head, “that’s enough from you, Miss Otti!” she teased, getting up to leave her to get changed, needing to get ready herself.</p><p>30 minutes later and Damon, Stefan and Ottilie were waiting impatiently at the bottom of the stairs. “Lexi, come on!” shouted Stefan, whilst Damon huffed, looking at his watch. Ottilie was so excited for dinner that she was hopping from foot to foot, holding onto Damon’s arm tightly. </p><p>Just then, Lexi hurried down the stairs, “sorry, sorry…” she muttered, pushing a loose strand of her golden hair from her face. Stefan took Ottilie’s hand and lead her to the car, whilst Damon, momentarily awestruck, gazed up at Lexi descending the mahogany staircase. </p><p>“Wow,” he breathed, and she looked at him suddenly, catching his stare. “You look incredible, Lexi,” he said, taking her hands and smiling warmly at her. </p><p>“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she replied, taking in his smart suit and combed hair, rolling her eyes at his smirk. He thinks he’s irresistible… she thought, before her thoughts were interrupted by Damon taking her hand and kissing it chivalrously, before he lead her to the car, opening the door for him. </p><p>Stefan and Ottilie, squeezed into the back of the camero, watched and exchanged knowing looks, and Stefan winked at Ottilie who grinned back, giggling. </p><p> </p><p>	-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>“Come on in,” said Kol, as he opened the door and gestured at the guests to enter the home. “We’ve got a full house tonight!” he commented, flicking his eyes towards some people that Ottilie had never seen before. </p><p>“Damon, Stefan, Lexi!” called a blonde woman, who walked over and embraced them all warmly.</p><p>“Cami, it’s lovely to see you,” said Lexi, returning the hug.</p><p>“And you must be Ottilie,” said the lady, looking down at the little girl and shaking her hand, “I’ve heard all about you and how clever you are!” Ottilie smiled shyly, and looked over to Damon for help, not knowing what to say. </p><p>“Ah you’ve embarrassed her now, love,” said Klaus, coming over to them, followed by two brunette women, and put his arm around Cami, kissing her adoringly on the cheek. “Let me introduce you to my daughter, Hope,” he gestured at the younger girl, whose hair was more auburn than brown, and who was smiling at Ottilie, “and Hayley, Hope’s mother and Elijah’s girlfriend.” He smiled, as if enjoying some private joke, and turned to grin at Hayley who just rolled her eyes and grinned back, obviously used to his joking.</p><p>“Hi,” she said, her voice soft and gentle, but with an unmistakable firmness and power to it. </p><p>“Let’s get you a drink, shall we?” said Klaus, gesturing at them to come with him to where the drinks were. </p><p>Ottilie went to sit with Kol, and he looked up as she approached him, grinning at her with his cheeky smile. “Well hello there, darling,” he said, “how are you doing? Bored of them already and want to come and hang out with the fun brother?” he teased.</p><p>Ottilie grinned back at him and sat on the seat beside him. “Kol,” she asked. “Are Cami, Hope and Hayley vampires too? Like you?” </p><p>Kol had never quite got over the hilarity of such a young person asking questions about vampires and hid his smile as he replied, “Cami is, yes. Hayley is a hybrid – both werewolf and vampire.” </p><p>Ottilie’s eyes opened wide. “Cool!” she breathed, in awe.</p><p>“And Hope is a tribrid – wolf, vampire and witch!” added Kol in amusement, watching the young girl’s jaw drop. </p><p>“Wow, that’s amazing! Do you think she could teach me some more spells?” asked Ottilie. </p><p>Kol clutched his hand to his heart. “You mean, I haven’t taught you enough? How you wound me!” he joked, as he watched Ottilie’s eyes flicker with alarm as she tried to work out if he was being serious or not. “I’m just kidding, darling,” he said quickly, “yes, I’m sure she can teach you some new tricks. I think that’s why Klaus invited you all round for food!” </p><p>Ottilie smiled and gave a sigh of relief that she hadn’t upset him. Feeling a little more confident, she got up to find Hope. </p><p>“Hi, Hope,” she said, shyly, approaching the bigger girl slowly.</p><p>Hope turned around and looked at Ottilie, staring up at her with her big green eyes. “Hi, sweetie!” she said, brightly, loving how cute she was. </p><p>“Kol said you’re a tribrid – that’s so cool!” said Ottilie, genuinely, “do you think… would you mind… please could you teach me some spells? Bonnie and Kol have been so amazing but I think I know all their spells now…” She bit her lip, hoping she hadn’t betrayed Bonnie and Kol by looking for another teacher, but Hope smiled at her kindly. </p><p>“You know, it was Kol’s idea to introduce us,” she said, looking over to her uncle who was sat, laughing at something his sister was saying. “He doesn’t like to admit it, but he knows you need to know more, and so he suggested all this to Klaus. I’d love to teach you some spells, and maybe you could show me the ones that Bonnie and Kol have taught you?” </p><p>Ottilie’s face lit up, and she nodded gratefully, “ooh thank you, Hope! I’d love to learn more from you. Damon and Stefan said that I need to be really strong in case Marcel comes to try and get me, but I don’t know any spells that could bring down an Upgraded Original Vampire.” </p><p>Hope shook her head, “nor do I, yet, but we will sort something, don’t you worry! I’m going to stick around Mystic Falls for a while so that we can practice at weekends. How does that sound?” </p><p>Ottilie grinned, “that sounds amazing, thank you so much, Hope!” </p><p>Suddenly, Klaus appeared and handed Ottilie a glass of juice. “How are my two best girls getting along?” he asked, looking at the pair. </p><p>“Ottilie and I were just talking about practicing some magic at the weekends” said Hope, smiling at the younger girl who looked back at her, still a little shy. </p><p>“Fantastic,” replied Klaus. “What a force to be reckoned with you two girls will be!”</p>
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<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Chapter 43</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I think that should do it,” said Hope, as she finished up writing in Ottilie’s grimoire. “I know we can’t exactly test it out, but should we need it, it should incapacitate Marcel at the very least.” They’d been working on the spell to bring down the Upgraded Original Vampire for months now, and they had both been getting frustrated with its lack of progress.</p>
<p>Ottilie nodded her head, chewing her lip nervously. “Do you think so? I’ve never made a spell like that before.” </p>
<p>Hope smiled down at her, hoping to sooth her worries. “It’s a big spell, Otti, and I can’t guarantee that it will work, but all the words are right, and with enough power…” </p>
<p>“That’s just it, Hope,” interrupted Ottilie, her worries getting the better of her. “I don’t know how much power I can throw at it. Every time I’ve tried really hard, I always end up in bed for a week!” </p>
<p>Hope chuckled, “tell me about it!” she said, “before I learned how to control my magic, it almost killed me! You just need practice, and a little self-belief!” </p>
<p>Ottilie decided not to push the subject, not wanting to bring more attention to her heart condition that already seemed to take up a lot of her life, and smiled up at Hope before thanking her for all of her help. </p>
<p>“Hope? Otti?” came a voice from inside the Mikaelson mansion. “Are you in the garden?” </p>
<p>“In the summerhouse, mum,” shouted Hope, and Hayler arrived presently carrying some hot drinks for them. She handed Ottilie a steaming mug of hot chocolate and smiled as the girl sipped at it, sighing with enjoyment at the taste. “It’s good, huh?” </p>
<p>The young girl nodded enthusiastically.</p>
<p>“Klaus brought the chocolate back from Belgium – they’re renowned for their chocolate there,” said Hayley, as she watched the two girls enjoying their drinks. “Otti, Damon is on his way to get you – he said that it’s your school dance tonight and that Lexi wants to help you get ready.” </p>
<p>“Oh yes!” cried Ottilie, suddenly remembering, “I’d completely forgotten!” </p>
<p>The two older women laughed at her and they stood up to head back into the house. “You’ve got to get your priorities straight, Otti,” teased Hope, “school dance beats magic spell to conquer evil vampire any day!!” Ottilie giggled, and watched for Damon’s car snaking up the long drive.</p>
<p>“Oh my god you look sooooooo cute!!” exclaimed Lexi, clapping her hands together in delight. </p>
<p>“You’ve been spending too much time with Caroline, Lexi!” replied Ottilie, sticking her tongue out at her, which Lexi returned before speeding off to go and tell Damon to get ready to take Ottilie to school for the dance.<br/> Ottilie turned to inspect herself in the full length mirror. She smiled. She did actually look quite nice – her light blue dress complimented her dark brown curls which Lexi had expertly styled to frame her face. Lexi had also won the argument with Damon about allowing his daughter to wear a little makeup and Lexi had applied some mascara and sheer lip gloss to the younger girl’s face. </p>
<p>Having done up the straps on her white shoes, she left her room and made her way down the stairs, spotting Damon, Lexi and Stefan all chatting together at the bottom of them, Stefan clutching an old fashioned camera. </p>
<p>They heard her descend the stairs and stopped chatting to look up at her in amazement. </p>
<p>“Wow, Otti!” gasped Stefan, before snapping a few candid shots of her grinning happily at their reactions. </p>
<p>“Didn’t I tell you that she looked amazing?” smirked Lexi, elbowing Damon jokily.</p>
<p>Damon, for his part, was speechless. He felt a lump come to his throat as he watched his little girl walk down the stairs. She wasn’t so little anymore, he thought, she’s growing up, and she’s so, so beautiful. He walked forwards to the last step to take her hand, kissing it gently, before moving to kiss her cheek. </p>
<p>“You look breath-taking, Otti,” he whispered into her ear, “I’m so, so proud of you.” </p>
<p>She smiled up at him and kissed him back on the cheek. “Thanks, Dad,” she said, gently, watching his face for his reaction. </p>
<p>Turning away, he blinked away his tears of joy before clearing his throat unsubtly. “Right little lady, let’s get you to that dance – Greg will be waiting…!” He smirked at her and she turned red. </p>
<p>“Damon….” She whined, “Greg isn’t my date!” </p>
<p>“You’d better hope he isn’t! You’re never having a boyfriend,” retorted Damon, leading her towards the front door. </p>
<p>After they’d all taken a few pictures together to commemorate the occasion, Ottilie hugged Lexi goodbye. “Thank you for helping me get ready!” she said, and Lexi smiled at her, tweaking her hair just a little. </p>
<p>“You’re welcome, Otti!” </p>
<p>Ottilie moved on to Stefan. “Have a great time, sweetheart,” he said, holding her to him. She smiled at him before following Damon to the car, getting in through the door he’d chivalrously opened for her. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ooh there’s Cassie!” cried Ottilie as they pulled up at the school, “wow! She looks amazing!” She added generously, before looking around for Greg. </p>
<p>Damon opened the door for her again and walked with her up to Cassie and Greg. Cassie hugged her friend, squealing about how lovely she looked and Greg blushed a little, unable to take his eyes off his friend. </p>
<p>Damon chuckled to himself, fully knowing how the young lad was feeling, having felt the same way in his youth. Oh to be young again, he thought ruefully. </p>
<p>“Have a wonderful time, Otti,” he said, leaning to kiss her on the head. “I’ll be back at 10pm to collect you, okay? Do you guys have people picking you up later?” He looked at her two friends, who nodded and thanked him. “Alright, see you later! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do…” he smirked at Otti who rolled her eyes at him, before they all disappeared into the school. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“See you Monday!” called Ottilie as Cassie climbed into her parents’ car and they sped off. She turned to Greg who was standing next to her. “Have you had fun?” she asked him.</p>
<p>He smiled down at his friend, who was still far shorter than him, as always. “Yeah it’s been great. Have you?”</p>
<p>She nodded. “I forgot to say, I really like your suit.” She said, shyly. </p>
<p>Thankful it was too dark for her to see him blush, Greg stuttered back, “Oh, thanks. I like your… dress too,” </p>
<p>“Thank you,” she managed to squeak back before they lapsed into awkward silence. </p>
<p>“Did you hear that?” asked Ottilie suddenly, noticing a rustling noise coming from the bushes opposite to where they were sitting. The atmosphere turned suddenly cold and she felt the urge to get away. “Greg, let’s go back inside until our parents arrive.” </p>
<p>“Okay,” he replied, looking at her strangely. “Are you alright? I didn’t hear anything…” </p>
<p>Just then, a two figures jumped from out of the bushes, zooming over to stand in front of them. “Come willingly and we won’t hurt you,” snarled one of the them, in a low, gravelly voice. </p>
<p>Greg instinctively took a step in front of Ottilie, pushing her behind him. “What do you want?” he asked, trying to sound braver than he felt. </p>
<p>“We want the witch,” spat the other figure.</p>
<p>“What?!” stammered Greg, thoroughly confused. He looked at Ottilie who tried to pull him behind her, and push him inside the building. </p>
<p>“Greg, run!” she said urgently, and he grabbed her hand and started to run, pulling her behind him. </p>
<p>One of the figures zoomed over to him and Ottilie held her hands up to try and stop them from getting to him with a magic shield of some sort. Letting her own guard down in her efforts to protect her friend, she didn’t see the second figure behind her, until she felt a huge impact with the back of her head, and everything went black. </p>
<p>Greg watched as his friend slumped lifelessly to the floor. “No! Otti!” he cried, trying to run over to her, but one of the attackers sped in front of him, and knocked him to the floor before holding a cloth over his mouth. He felt his vision going and his eyes started to close, his view of Ottilie’s unconscious form gradually disappearing into nothing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Chapter 44</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Greg started to wake up and gazed around him dozily, slowly taking in his surroundings. He was in a house, he thought, although it looked like it hadn’t been lived in for some time. The windows were so dirty that you could barely see through them, and the curtains were strewn across them, their rods broken and snapped. It smelled damp and fusty, and he was lying on the cold, hard ground. He turned his head, grimacing at how it made the room spin – the after effects of whatever they’d used to knock him out, he thought. He was now facing the bottom of what he supposed was a sofa, judging by the now faded, but once plush, dark fabric. He sat up slowly, still keeping an eye out for any sign of his attackers, saw Ottilie lying on the sofa, her face turned away from him towards the back of the sofa. </p><p>“Otti,” he whispered urgently, giving her shoulder a gentle shove, trying to wake her up and alert her to his presence. She didn’t stir, and he gently took hold of her chin and turned her head towards him, drawing back in horror as he saw the dark blood stains that ran across the side of her face from the top of her head, and her eyes firmly shut. He scrambled to grab one of her wrists, feeling for her pulse, and sighed in relief as he felt it beating steady and strong, and saw her chest rising and falling gently. At least she’s not having one of her attacks, he thought, trying to see the silver lining of the situation. </p><p>Just then, he heard voices approaching, and he quickly laid back down in the position that he woke up in, hoping that the attackers wouldn’t notice that he’d awoken. </p><p>“I don’t get why we had to bring the boy,” complained one voice. </p><p>“Because he saw us, idiot,” spat the other man, the one with the gravelly voice. </p><p>“I guess Marcel will just want the girl anyway. Shall we just get rid of him?” suggested the first man, and Greg felt his blood run cold. </p><p>“Nah, he’s good leverage. She’s less likely to try and fight back if she thinks he’s in danger,” countered his companion. </p><p>Ottilie started to stir, her eyes fluttering open and her face creasing as the pain from her head began to wash over her. </p><p>“Ah, sleeping beauty is awake…” sneered Man 1. “Finally… I was worried I’d hit you too hard,” he snickered. </p><p>“What do you want?” Ottilie managed to ask, her vision still heavily impeded and her head throbbing. </p><p>“We’re going to give you over to Marcel,” said Man 1, seemingly enjoying the fact as he grinned at Ottilie with a fang-filled smile.</p><p>“I won’t go.” She said shortly, knowing that she could probably bring down the two men if necessary, even in her injured state.</p><p>“Shame, that.” Said Man 2. “I kinda made a promise to the girlfriend that I’d avoid killing anyone tonight – she said it’s so difficult to wash the blood out of my shirts…” he looked over to Greg, who was still lying on the floor, pretending to be asleep. </p><p>Ottilie gasped in horror, “let him go!” she demanded, “he’s got nothing to do with any of this; he’s done nothing wrong.” </p><p>Man 2 shook his head. “No, I don’t think so, little witch, you both are going to stay right here until Marcel arrives. He’s coming from Portland so I’d say you have an hour or so left. Hope you’re comfy…” he smiled, menacingly at her, and turned with his companion to leave the room. </p><p>Once they were safely out of the room, Greg opened his eyes to see Ottilie now sat upright, with her eyes shut. “Otti…” he began in a low voice, but she shook her head at him, still with her eyes closed.</p><p>After a few moments, she opened them and looked at her friend with concern and regret. “Greg, I’m so sorry you’ve been dragged into this. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” she asked him, absentmindedly grabbing hold of one of his hands. </p><p>“I’m fine, Otti, you’re the one with blood all over your face…” he said, looking at the trails of blood making their way down her head and cheeks. “And what do you mean, ‘all of this’? What’s going on?” </p><p>Ottilie sighed heavily. “I guess you deserve to know now,” she said quietly, avoiding eye contact with him. “I’m a witch, Greg.” </p><p>He almost burst out laughing if it wasn’t for the seriousness of the situation they found themselves in.</p><p>She smiled gently at him, completely understanding his reaction. “I know, it’s hard to believe. But it’s true, and you mustn’t tell anybody, please. My family know, and I think they will be here to rescue us soon.” </p><p>“Your family? As in Damon and Stefan?” </p><p>She nodded. “Yeah, they’re… vampires….” His mouth fell open and she looked apologetically at him, feeling guilty that she had to drop so much information on him. “I’m a kind of witch called an Adfectus Witch, and there’s a really powerful vampire called Marcel who wants to get me so that I can do a spell for him.” </p><p>“Aren’t there other witches who could do it?” asked Greg, not quite sure why he was so okay with all of this, and why that was the question he wanted to ask. </p><p>“Well, erm… no, there aren’t. I’m the only Adfectus Witch alive, and apparently it requires all of my power to do this spell. I think those two,” she gestured towards the room where their attackers had gone to, “are vampires hoping to hand me over.” </p><p>“You think they’re vampires too?!” he said in shock. </p><p>She nodded. “Yes, but I’ve spelled this room so that they can’t hear us talking. I’ve tried to send a message to my family, but it’s quite a new spell, and I’m not feeling too well, so I hope it works…” She looked at her friend ruefully, and he moved to sit on the sofa with her. </p><p>“So what do we do now?” he asked. </p><p>She shrugged. “I don’t know, Greg. I guess we wait. Listen, if I tell you to run, do you promise to run as fast as you can without looking back?” </p><p>Greg hesitated, “only if you’re running with me?” </p><p>She shook her head, “no, Greg, you don’t understand. I will have to hold them off, then you can run. Okay?” </p><p>“Erm, no?!” he countered, looking at her baffled. </p><p>She huffed. “Eurgh just promise me!” </p><p>“Fine, but I’m not happy about it.” </p><p>“I don’t need you to be.” </p><p>They sat in silence for a bit, both angry with the other for asking the impossible of them. </p><p> </p><p>“Stefan, I’m telling you, SHE’S NOT HERE! I’ve looked all over the place, and there’s nobody left in the school. Greg is missing too – his parents are desperate… No, of course I don’t think they’ve snuck off together – they’re 13 for Christ’s sake!!” </p><p>Damon was fuming, shouting at his brother down the phone as he countered every sensible explanation that Stefan came up with. </p><p>“Do you want me to come over and look?” Stefan sighed, finding a scrap of paper to mark his place. </p><p>“No, stay there in case she comes back…” </p><p>“Damon…” Stefan was looking in surprise at the scrap of paper he’d placed in the fold of his book. “Damon, something’s happening. I think I’m getting a message or something…” </p><p>“Stefan, I don’t have time for this, Otti could be hurt…” </p><p>“Damon, SHUT UP! She’s sending me a message!”</p><p>“What does it say?!” </p><p>“Hope tracks Otti”</p><p>“I’m calling Klaus…” </p><p> </p><p>Damon hung up on Stefan and ran to his car, calling for Greg’s parents to follow him back to the mansion. He dialled Klaus’ number. “Klaus,” he said, after his friend picked up almost immediately. “I need Hope to track Otti. Meet me at the boarding house?” </p><p>“On my way.” </p><p>He sped back to his house, the Blythes in tow. Surely Greg must have been taken with Ottilie – the coincidence of the two of them missing at the same time was too great.   </p><p>He went over to their car, parked behind his and opened Mrs Blythe’s door. “You’re going to wait here for Greg to return. When he does, you’ll remember nothing of this evening. You simply picked Greg up from here after I gave him a lift home from the dance.” </p><p>He compelled Mr Blythe before heading into the house, waiting anxiously for Klaus and Hope’s arrival. </p><p> </p><p>“I’ve got her teddy,” said Stefan, seeing his brother walk in. “Hope can use it to track her. Do you think Greg is with her?” </p><p>Damon nodded. “His parents are outside. I’ve compelled them to forget everything once we’ve got them back.” </p><p>Just then, Klaus’ car pulled in to the drive and he and Hope sped into the house.</p><p>“Okay, I need…” began Hope, before the bear was thrust into her arms. “Okay…” she said, raising her eyebrows at the two anxious brothers before shutting her eyes and focusing on the spell. </p><p>“Got her,” she said in a minute or so. “She’s not far – still in Mystic Falls. Let’s go.” </p><p>She and Klaus got back into the car, whilst Stefan and Damon followed in the camero. Lexi stayed to keep an eye on the Blythes. </p><p>They pulled up minutes later outside a dilapidated house, with part of the roof caved in.</p><p>“Nice place…” smirked Damon, catching Klaus’ eye. </p><p>“They’re going to be expecting something,” said Stefan, “what’s the plan?” </p><p>“Kill them?” shrugged Klaus, already heading towards the door.  Hope grabbed his arm, pulling him back with her superhuman strength, and he grunted, obviously agitated. </p><p>“No, they could hurt Ottilie if we aren’t careful. We need to sneak in without being noticed, get Ottilie out, and then kill them” she instructed. </p><p>Damon raised his eyebrows at her, obviously impressed. “Okay, girlie,” he said, “Stefan and I get the kids, you get the kidnappers.” </p><p>They nodded, and were just about to head off when Damon called over. “Don’t make it too quick, okay?” </p><p>Klaus chuckled and Damon saw the wolf show in his eyes. Whoever kidnapped them is in for a really bad night, he thought wryly to himself, before following Stefan. </p><p>They tracked the sound of the two human hearts, finding a window nearby that was broken. Peering through, they saw a bloody Ottilie and a pale Greg huddled together on a dirty sofa. Ottilie seemed to sense their arrival and looked up hopefully. Her face lit up as she saw her father and uncle, and she made to get off the sofa, before Greg quickly pulled her back. </p><p>Damon and Stefan heard the two vampires approaching and quickly hid back under the window, hoping beyond hope that they hadn’t just endangered the two children even more. </p><p>“Marcel is almost here,” announced Man 1, smiling triumphantly at the two frightened children. “Then we will be free for the first time in 300 years.” </p><p>The other man shoved him hard. “Shut up,” he said. “We don’t know that yet.” </p><p>Man 1 shrugged, before they both jumped at a noise they heard from the side of the house they’d just come from. They both moved over to the children, guarding their prize, “Marcel?” called Man 2. </p><p>“Nope…” came the response, and the two vampires walked hesitantly towards the door to look for where the voice had come from. </p><p>Damon motioned at Stefan to get Greg whilst he got Ottilie and the two brothers sprang into action, bursting through the window and grabbing the children and vamping with them back outside. </p><p>Man 2 spun to see them, and picking up one of the broken curtain poles, flung it into Stefan’s back. Stefan cried out in pain and pushed Greg into Damon’s arms, indicating that his brother go on without him to get the children to safety. </p><p>Ottilie reached out for her uncle but Damon, his face grim, kept a firm grip on his daughter, not allowing her out of his grasp. “No, no, STEFAN!” she shouted, watching in horror as Stefan tried to pull the pole, unsuccessfully from his back. </p><p>Closing her eyes, she imagined the pole to be in her hands before pulling it up and out, free of Stefan’s back. She heard a groan, and opening her eyes, saw Stefan, pole-free and Greg staring at her, gobsmacked. </p><p>Klaus and Hope sprinted into the room. Klaus bit Man 2 who fell to the floor, screaming. Hope, using her magic, held Man 1 still in the air, just as he was about to attack Stefan, who was still trying to heal from the curtain pole. </p><p>“Why do you want these two?” demanded Klaus.</p><p>“We just wanted the girl,” stammered Man 2, who was sweating profusely as the bite took hold of him. “We knew Marcel wanted her. We thought she’d buy our freedom.” </p><p>“You thought wrong” said Klaus, simply, and nodded at Hope, who effortlessly pulled the heart out of Man 1, letting it drop nonchalantly on the floor. </p><p>“Well that was fun,” she said, helping Stefan to his feet. </p><p>“Are you okay?” asked Stefan, looking at the two harrowed children. Greg looked like he was going to be sick, and Ottilie was still bleeding heavily from her head wound, but they both nodded. </p><p>Damon crouched in front of Greg. “I can take this whole thing out of your memories,” he said, looking seriously at the young boy. “But only if you want me to.” </p><p>Greg shook his head, hesitantly. “Please don’t, I want to remember.”</p><p>Damon nodded quickly, and stood up, pulling Ottilie to him and looking closely at her blood-matted hair. “We need to get them back. Thank you, Klaus and Hope. I am forever in your debt.”</p><p>The father and daughter smiled, nodded, and went back to their car before setting off home. </p><p>Stefan lead Greg by the shoulders back to the camero, whilst Damon supported Ottilie. </p><p>As they pulled into the drive, Stefan turned to the back seat to talk to Greg. “You’re parents are waiting for you at your house. They don’t know about anything that’s gone on. They just think they’re picking you up after we gave you a lift, okay? I’m so sorry that you’ve been caught up in this.” </p><p>“It’s okay,” said Greg, looking at his friend next to him whose head was lolling against his shoulder as she tried her best to stay awake. “I want to be there for her,” he added, quietly. </p><p>“She’ll be fine,” said Damon, smiling kindly at him through the rear view mirror. “We’ll take good care of her.”</p><p>They came to a stop and Damon lifted a now unconscious Ottilie from the car, noticing her hand slip limply from where Greg had been holding it, trying to comfort her. </p><p>“Mr and Mrs Blythe, hi!” said Stefan brightly, being careful not to turn and show his bloody back to them, despite the fact that he was now completely healed. “I think Greg here has had an interesting night!” he said, winking at Greg, who smiled back weakly. </p><p>“Thanks for picking him up,” said Mrs Blythe, smiling at Stefan. </p><p>“Oh it’s no bother. Any time!” he replied, returning the smile. “Otti will see you at school on Monday!” he added, and Greg nodded, his eyes fixed on Damon carrying his friend into the house, blood dripping on the stone slabs.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Chapter 45</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“God I wish we could just give her some blood and get her all healed up,” complained Damon, sponging away the blood from his unconscious daughter’s face.</p>
<p>“Me too, brother,” sighed Stefan. “But you know the risk of her becoming a vampire becuase of her condition is too great. I couldn’t live with myself if she turned this young.”</p>
<p>Damon nodded, stiffly, grimacing as he turned Ottilie’s head and found another patch of blood to clean up. “Stefan, you should go,” he said, noting how his brother was becoming twitchy and restless due to his long exposure to fresh human blood. “Can you get Lexi? Might also be worth calling Alaric to ask him if Jo would mind coming to check on her. She’s been unconscious for a while…”</p>
<p>Stefan nodded, already on his way out of the room, taking deep breaths to try and control his blood lust. “Lexi!” he called, and she appeared in front of him.</p>
<p>“You good?” she asked, frowning at him as she noticed the little black veins slowly disappearing from his eyes.</p>
<p>He nodded, “yeah, I will be. Can you go and help Damon with Otti? It got a bit… much…” He looked away, hating himself for not being to be more in control. Lexi smiled sadly at him and rubbed his arm comfortingly before speeding off to help Damon.</p>
<p>Stefan took out his phone and dialled Alaric to ask if Jo would mind checking Ottilie over. Alaric and Jo had been dating for a few months now, and she was seemingly well versed the antics of the supernatural, having been a witch herself – the twin of Kai, much to everybody’s surprise, and being Ottilie’s designated doctor, she was always happy to check in with her.</p>
<p>“Jo and Alaric are on their way,” shouted Stefan to Damon, putting his phone back into his pocket. “I’ll be back in a bit,” he added, before speeding off to the woods to clear his head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How’s she doing, Damon?” asked Lexi, gently, peering over the sofa at the young girl lying stone still, her eyes firmly closed, and her head still bleeding, albeit it slower than before.</p>
<p>“She’s taking a while to come around,” said Damon, biting his lip in worry. “She must have been hit pretty hard – she’s still bleeding.”</p>
<p>“Jo will be able to help her, don’t worry,” said Lexi soothingly, absentmindedly brushing a lock of jet black hair from Damon’s forehead to keep it out of his eyes as he held a rag to Ottilie’s head, trying to staunch the blood flow.</p>
<p>He looked up at her and their eyes locked for an instant, before Lexi quickly looked away, staring at her feet, her cheeks reddening slightly.</p>
<p>“Damon?” came a small voice, and Damon’s eyes snapped down to his daughter, whose eyes were fluttering open.</p>
<p>“Hey, sweetheart,” he said gently, holding her face gently to stop her moving about too much. “Just lay still for me, Otti,” he instructed, as she started to move too quickly in a bid to sit up, “nope, you stay there. You’ve lost a lot of blood and I’m still trying to stop the bleeding.”</p>
<p>She fell back onto the sofa, groaning as she felt her head throbbing. “Is Greg okay?” she said weakly, as Damon nodded at her, smirking.</p>
<p>“Your boyfriend’s fine, little lady,” he teased, watching as he cheeks flushed, pleased to see a little colour to her face.</p>
<p>“Leave her alone, Damon,” said Lexi, rolling her eyes at him and stepping forwards to sit next to Ottilie. “You’ve really done a number there, Otti,” she said, pointing to the large cut in Ottilie’s hairline.</p>
<p>“I didn’t do it on purpose…” huffed Ottilie, not liking all the fuss.</p>
<p>“Jo is on her way to have a look at you,” said Damon, “I want to make sure you’re not so concussed that you’ll have to go into hospital.”</p>
<p>“Eurgh, I really don’t want to go to hospital,” moaned Ottilie.</p>
<p>“Well then you shouldn’t have gone and got yourself kidnapped then,” said Damon, shrugging as if it were the simplest thing in the world.</p>
<p>Ottilie started to argue back just as they heard a knock at the door.</p>
<p>“Saved by the bell…” smirked Damon at his fuming daughter, as Lexi went to answer the door, coming back followed by Alaric and Jo.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hi Otti, Damon!” greeted Jo, brightly. “Come on then, let’s have a look at you.” She moved over to the sofa, pushing Damon out of the way gently, and began checking Ottilie’s pupils and general responses.</p>
<p>“It’s all a little sluggish,” said Jo, eventually, putting her little torch back into her bag that she’d brought with her. “But I don’t think she needs to go to hospital for observation or anything, as long as you’re happy for me to stay for the rest of the night and keep an eye on her?”</p>
<p>Damon smiled gratefully, “absolutely, thanks, Jo. I really appreciate it.”</p>
<p>Alaric smiled fondly at his girlfriend, whilst she got out some more equipment.</p>
<p>“Well that was the good news,” she said, less brightly now. “The bad news is that she needs some stitches. Sorry, darling, this might sting a little.”</p>
<p>“Wait, wait, wait,” said Damon, rushing between Ottilie and Jo, “you can’t just start stitching her up – can’t you numb it or something?”</p>
<p>Jo rolled her eyes at him, giving him a look that told him he was being a complete idiot. “I’m not utterly heartless, Damon,” she said, scathingly. “Obviously I’m going to numb the area first! Get out of the way! Ric, can you sort him out please?”</p>
<p>She looked from Ottilie to Lexi, sharing a smile with them. “Honestly,” she sighed, “sometimes the parents are worse than the patients!” Ottilie giggled and Lexi moved to sit by her to hold her hand whilst Jo made quick, neat work of numbing and stitching the wound.</p>
<p>“All done,” announced Jo, as she and Lexi helped a wobbly Ottilie into the kitchen, guiding her to a chair. “She’s going to need something to eat,” she said, looking pointedly at Damon, who quickly downed the rest of the drink he held in his hands, courtesy of Alaric.</p>
<p>He got to work making her a cheese sandwich with fruit on the side in a bid to get her blood sugars up a bit, and watched in relief as she tucked into it after he’d put it in front of her.</p>
<p>Damon inspected the criss-cross pattern of stitches across his daughters head. “Looks sore,” he commented, subtly admiring Jo’s neat work.</p>
<p>“It’s okay,” said Ottilie, “I’ve had worse,” she added, before taking another bite of her sandwich.</p>
<p>“So what actually happened?” asked Ric, and Damon launched into telling them the adventures of that night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ottilie had spent the rest of the weekend resting and recuperating, and she was glad when Monday came around and she could get out from the confines of the house and off to school.</p>
<p>“Are you absolutely sure you’re up to going in?” asked Damon, for the third time.</p>
<p>Ottilie rolled her eyes at him, and grinned, “Yes, Dad, I promise, I’m fine!”</p>
<p>He held up his hands in mock defence, “okay, okay!” he said, “I’m just making triple sure!”</p>
<p>She kissed him on the cheek and got out of the car, having spotted Greg, waiting outside the school doors. “I’ll see you later?” she asked Damon, who nodded.</p>
<p>“I’ll pick you up. Try not to get kidnapped, please. I have plans for tonight and really can’t fit in rescuing you.”</p>
<p>She laughed, and shutting the car door, ran over to Greg, holding clasping her school bag. Damon watched in amusement as Greg, without a moment’s hesitation, threw his arms around his daughter, hugging her tightly, before putting his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away and looking her over, as if to check she was okay. Suddenly realising they were at school, he blushed deeply and looked away.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” Damon heard Ottilie ask Greg, gently, knowing how traumatising the whole event must have been for him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m actually fine,” came the reply. “I don’t know why I’m just accepting the whole vampire and witch thing, but I’m actually not too bothered by it. You’re a witch, your family are vampires, so what?”</p>
<p>Ottilie grinned up at her best friend, relieved beyond belief that he was taking it all so well, and Damon watched, smiling, as the two young teens walked into school together, her shoulder brushing gently against his upper arm. His daughter was in good hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b> A bit of a soppy one but I think it's cute seeing different relationships start to establish. Let me know your thoughts as ever, and thanks for reading! SEG2021 xx</b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Chapter 46</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I really, really don’t want to celebrate my birthday,” groaned Damon, as the two girls danced around the room, decorating it with streamers and balloons. “Come on, I’ve had like, 150 of them!” </p><p>“Well why stop celebrating there?” retorted Lexi, lifting Ottilie to tie a balloon to one of the great beams stretching across the large room. </p><p>“He’s just grumpy because he’s getting on a bit…” teased Stefan, walking into the room for the first time that day, and looking around at the décor strewn across the room. “It is a bit… much…” He said, looking over at Damon, who groaned again and put his head in his hands. </p><p>“Who did you say is coming over? Everyone?! Oh god, I’m going to be the laughing stock of the Mystic Falls supernatural community…” he grumbled, whilst the other three just laughed at him. </p><p>Eventually they turned him out of the house, exasperated with his whinging, and needing to get on with the cooking for that evening’s celebrations. </p><p>“What time is everyone arriving?” asked Stefan, rolling his shirt sleeves up after having tied his apron strings around his waist. </p><p>“7.30pm, Chef Stefan,” called Lexi from the other room, still decorating. </p><p>“Hey, Lexi,” said Ottilie, grinning wickedly, “Chef Stefan – Chefan… what do you think?” </p><p>Lexi laughed, “perfect!” she said. “Do you need any help, Chefan?” She shouted through to the kitchen. They heard a groan and something that sounded very much like a face palm. </p><p>“Please, don’t make that a thing…” </p><p>“Wouldn’t dream of it, Chefan,” teased Lexi, heading to the kitchen with Ottilie in tow. </p><p> </p><p>The two girls got started on a birthday cake, whilst Stefan chopped vegetables expertly. </p><p>“How do you know how to cook?” asked Ottilie, gazing at his knife skills in admiration. </p><p>He shrugged modestly, “well I never had to growing up, as we had a cook who lived in our house, but when I turned, I wanted to be a doctor. I couldn’t handle all the blood so I trained as a chef instead, amongst other things.” </p><p>Ottilie nodded, interested in this part of Stefan’s life that she hadn’t known about before. “What else did you do?” she asked. </p><p>“Well I did some mechanical engineering, some teaching, some accountancy here and there… but medicine was my passion. I guess it just wasn’t to be.” </p><p>He looked a little sad, Ottilie thought, and she went over to give him a hug. “You look after me?” she said, hoping to raise his spirits just a little. “I’m such a mess that that makes you basically a doctor?” she added, smiling slightly.</p><p>He chuckled and shook his head, returning the hug. “You’re not a mess, Otti,” he said gently, “and caring for you has been one of the greatest honours of my life” he added, truthfully, before turning back to finish preparing the meal. </p><p> </p><p>7pm arrived and a grumpy Damon returned back to the mansion, following his strict instructions however begrudgingly. </p><p>“Your suit is ready in your room,” called Lexi, as she put the finishing touches to the cake that she and Otti had prepared. </p><p>He zoomed upstairs to get changed, and was surprised a few minutes later to hear a soft knock at the door. “Yep?” he called, and watched as the door swung open to reveal Lexi, already in a gold, shimmery dress and heels. His jaw dropped and he gawped at her. “Wow,” he breathed, taking in her immense beauty. </p><p>“Jesus, Damon, you’re acting like a teenager,” she teased, walking up to him and fixing his tie. </p><p>“Lexi, you look incredible,” he said, taking one of her hands gently in his. <br/>“Thanks, sweetie,” she said, blushing a little. “You look great too!” </p><p>They stared at one another for a moment, lost in their thoughts, their eyes locked. Damon felt himself leaning in slightly, and noticed briefly that Lexi was doing the same. Their lips touched, and Damon felt his eyes closing as he let himself get lost in the softness that was Lexi’s lips. </p><p>They moved closer to one another, Damon threading his hands through Lexi’s golden hair, revelling in how soft it was, relishing how her face fitted so perfectly in his hands. </p><p>She pulled back, breathing hard. “Damon…” </p><p>He shook his head, putting his hands up, “I’m sorry, Lexi, I don’t know what came over me,” he said quickly, his cheeks reddening. </p><p>“You don’t feel it?” she asked, lowering her eyes to the ground in disappointment. He didn’t feel the way she did, she thought miserably. </p><p>Damon took a step forwards, taking both her hands, and lifting her chin so that he was looking straight into her eyes. </p><p>“Oh I feel it,” he said, huskily. “I feel all of it.” </p><p>She smiled at him, and he felt his stomach do somersaults. “Come on Mr Salvatore, you can’t miss your own party,” she teased, running her fingers sensuously down the smooth satin of his suit lapels before taking his arm and leading him out of the room and down the stairs. </p><p> </p><p>The party went without a hitch, not a single guest commenting on the OTT decorations, all of them wishing Damon many happy returns for his birthday. Stefan smiled humbly as his food was complimented endlessly, and the guests cheered as the enormous cake was brought out. </p><p>Stefan had said that Ottilie could invite her friends over to enjoy the party with her, and Cassie and Greg had been grateful to accept to her invitation. The three of them had had a wonderful time, gossiping about school and watching the supposedly sophisticated adults get increasingly less sophisticated as the night went on. </p><p>Eventually, Cassie and Greg’s parents came to collect them, and Ottilie bid farewell to her friends, waving them off as they disappeared down the drive. Stefan stood by her side, noticing how she was leaning against him. </p><p>“Tired, Otti?” he asked, smiling down at his niece. She nodded and he put his arm around her shoulders. “Come on then,” he said, guiding her back towards the party. “Say good night to everyone then off to bed with you.” </p><p> </p><p>Damon watched as the last guest left the mansion, all except for Caroline, who had none to subtly followed Stefan upstairs. Smirking to himself, he turned to face the mess left after the party, sighing at the tidying up that would be required. </p><p>“Thank God for vamp speed, am I right?” came a voice from behind him. </p><p>“Lexi,” he said, smiling as she walked over to him. “Thank you for a wonderful party,” he looked a little guilty, “and I’m sorry to making such a fuss about it.” </p><p>She laughed, and the sound of it made his dead heart beat a little faster. “I thought you’d enjoy it after all,” she said, reaching to cup his cheek with the palm of her hand. “Was there anything I missed?” </p><p>Cocking his head to one side, he looked thoughtful, pretending to consider everything. “Well there was one thing,” he said, smirking at her. “But that can be easily remedied.”</p><p>“But the party is over?” she countered, playfully. </p><p>“Not just yet, it isn’t,” he said, taking her by the hand and pulling her into his arms, kissing her deeply, revelling in the feel of her lips against his, the smooth subtle curve of her body, and the passion with which she was returning his kiss.  “Lexi, do you want to…” </p><p>“Yes…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> Any fancy a bit of Dexi??? Thanks for reading! xx</b>
</p>
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<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Chapter 47</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun was peeking through the partially closed curtains, and shone gently onto Damon's face, causing him to crack open his eyes and squint a little. Looking around, he noticed the fine sheet of blonde hair strewn across the pillow next to him, and a sleeping Lexi lying comfortably beside him. Falling back softly into this own pillow, he allowed himself to smile, revelling in the moment, the quiet, and the sheer perfection of the woman lying next to him.</p>
<p>She started to stir and he bent over her, softly kissing up her arm, to her neck, and finally to her cheek. "Morning, princess," he said, as her eyes fluttered open and he lost himself in the pools of hazel-green.</p>
<p>"Damon," she whispered, rolling over and snuggling into him, closing her eyes in pleasure as he kissed the top of her head.</p>
<p>"Remind me to never try avoiding celebrating my birthday again," he smirked, speaking in a low, husky voice that made Lexi's stomach so somersaults.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Morning," greeted Stefan, as Lexi and Damon walked into the kitchen. Caroline had her back to them, focusing hard on making some toast.</p>
<p>"Morning," replied Damon. "Caroline, you stayed over?"</p>
<p>She didn't turn around, but he could almost feel the blush spreading across her face as she buttered the toast vigorously.</p>
<p>Stefan rolled his eyes at his brother, annoyed at him for trying to embarrass Caroline.</p>
<p>"Let's just say, it's a good thing that Ottilie doesn't have vamp hearing..." smirked Damon, watching his brother turn red and Lexi scoff.</p>
<p>"And the rest of Mystic Falls..." she added, playfully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Stefan will pick you up at 5, okay?" said Caroline, as Ottilie climbed out of her car. She'd given the girl a lift to see her friend as she was on her way home from the boarding house anyway. She'd been relieved that Ottilie hadn't questioned her still being there in the morning after the party; she seemed to have taken everything in her stride, simply accepting that Stefan and Caroline were an item now.</p>
<p>"Sure, thanks for the lift!" replied the girl, waving off the older vampire.</p>
<p>"Hey, Otti!" she heard Greg call from behind her, and she turned to grin at her friend, sat in the park, before walking over to him.</p>
<p>"So where are we walking?" she asked, slinging her rucksack over her shoulders into a more comfortable position.</p>
<p>"There's some old standing stones I wanted to show you. My mum always talks about them being magic, and with you being a witch and all..." he pulled a face at her, teasingly and she punched him playfully on the arm.</p>
<p>"Hey, be nice to me, or I'll turn you into a frog!" she joked, and they set off into the woods.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"They should be somewhere around here," said Greg, pausing to look at the quickly drawn map his mum had given him, and turning it around in confusion, trying to get his bearings.</p>
<p>"I feel them," said Ottilie quietly, suddenly noticing the pull she felt towards a clearing in the woods, about 200m in front of them. "They're this way." She took his arm and pulled him after her, and he replaced the map in his pocket, trying to keep up with her as she took off.</p>
<p>"Slow down, Otti, they're not going anywhere!" he said, trying to keep up with her as she sped over the uneven ground. Suddenly, his ankle caught in a small hole in ground, and he fell awkwardly to the ground. "Argh!" he cried out in pain, and he lost contact with Ottilie.</p>
<p>She stopped running, looking back at her friend on the floor, his face crunched up in pain as he clutched his ankle in both hands. He caught her eye for a second, and swore he saw something flash through them, their normal vivid green turning momentarily black.</p>
<p>"Otti..." he said, weakly, watching as her eyes turned back to normal and she shook her head, seemingly clearing any trace of the trance she had been from it.</p>
<p>"Greg, are you okay?" She ran over to her friend and knelt down before him, one hand on his shoulder as she peered at him in worry.</p>
<p>He shook his head, shakily, "I've twisted my ankle, it really hurts," he said, trying his best to keep the tears from springing into his eyes.</p>
<p>"Let me see." She gently prised his fingers from around his ankle, and scrunched her nose in concern as she saw that it was already swelling and bruising. "Ouch, Greg," she said gently, rubbing his arm comfortingly. "I can try and heal it? I've managed to with Damon, Stefan and Lexi before, but obviously they're all supernatural. I've never tried to heal a human."</p>
<p>He looked a bit worried, "you think it'll work?"</p>
<p>She shrugged, "I don't see why not. Do you want me to try?"</p>
<p>He nodded, somewhat hesitantly, unsure as to what to expect, and she took his hands in hers, shutting her eyes and concentrating hard. Greg felt his hands start to tingle, and noticed the pain in his ankle diminishing, the swelling already going down. Bringing his eyes back up to Ottilie, he was concerned to see a trickle of blood coming from her nose.</p>
<p>"Tillie," he said softly, wondering for an instant why he used that name for her. She'd always been Otti, or Ottilie, but just then he felt the need for something more... different... something that only he called her.</p>
<p>"Tillie, stop now, you don't look good." The pain in his ankle was gone, and she opened her eyes, smiling in relief at him.</p>
<p>"Hey, it worked!" she said, before slumping forwards in a dead faint, straight into his arms.</p>
<p>"Woah!" he exclaimed, quickly cradling her light body in his arms, before tapping her face gently. "Can you hear me? Otti, wake up!"</p>
<p>Her eyes fluttered open just a moment later, and Greg let out a sigh of relief.</p>
<p>"Are you okay?" she asked, wiping her bloody nose with a tissue she'd fished from a pocket, and he almost laughed at the absurdity of the girl who'd just collapsed into his arms asking him if he was okay.</p>
<p>"Yes, my ankles all better. Thanks Otti," he said, smiling down at her.</p>
<p>"Sorry about that," she said, trying to sit up, but he held her down gently, not wanting her to get dizzy from getting up too quickly. "So dramatic, I know..." she rolled her eyes in fake exasperation, and he laughed.</p>
<p>"It's fine, promise you're okay?"</p>
<p>"Promise, it happens all the time."</p>
<p>"Well that makes me feel much better..." he retorted, gently helping her sit down before standing up himself, gingerly testing out his ankle. "All fixed!" he said, relieved, before lending Ottilie a hand to stand up.</p>
<p>"You know, for a minute, I didn't think you were going to come back for me," he said, suddenly serious. "What happened?"</p>
<p>She frowned. "I'm not sure, Greg. I'm sorry. I just felt like a really intense need to go to the standing stones, like it was the only important thing in the world."</p>
<p>"Well I guess we'd better go then," he said, smiling at her, and holding out his hand, which she took a little shyly.</p>
<p>They set off again, and finally arrived at the clearing in the forest. The stones were tall – perhaps 10ft, all positioned in a circle. Ottilie walked around them cautiously, stopping to look at each on, but staying a couple of feet away from them. Greg hung back, feeling uneasy all of a sudden.</p>
<p>"Do you hear that?" asked Ottilie, breaking the eerie silence.</p>
<p>"Hear what?" he replied, confused as to what she was getting at.</p>
<p>She didn't respond, focusing instead on the whispers she was hearing, the hushed voices swirling around her head, making her look around for their creators, the wind carrying sounds around her. "Touch meee......" she heard, behind her, and she snapped her head around to look for where the voice had come from. "Touch meeeee....." it insisted, now from a different place altogether.</p>
<p>She walked slowly towards the biggest standing stone, towering over her 5ft height, and she placed a tentative hand on it, feeling as though the breath was knocked out of her as she did so. Her vision swirled and she blinked, trying to clear it, but when she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the clearing in the forest.</p>
<p>"Ottilie...." she heard a gentle voice from behind her, and she turned to see a beautiful woman, with long, softly curling brown hair and bright green eyes. She had a kind face, and she smiled at the frightened girl in front of her.</p>
<p>"Do not fear me, Ottilie, for I am you, and you are me, and one as pure as you cannot truly fear oneself. We are the Adfectus Witch, and you are the current manifestation while my time passed many moons ago."</p>
<p>Ottilie remained still, shocked into stunned silence. The woman continued speaking, her choice of language strange and cryptic.</p>
<p>"We do not serve nature, Ottilie, yet there is great imbalance. We were created to restore what the natural witches could not. And that is what you must do. Restore the balance."</p>
<p>Ottilie's eyes widened, understanding what the woman was saying. "Marcel..." she breathed, as the woman nodded.</p>
<p>"Yes, child. Marcellus Gerard has defied the rules of nature, forging a creature with too great a power. Only the Adfectus Witch is entrusted with enough power to overcome it, and even with such power, it will not be easy."</p>
<p>Ottilie's shoulders slumped. "I can't even access all of my power – I almost die every time I try..." She broke off, suddenly realising what was required of her.</p>
<p>"It is a great burden to bear, Ottilie," said the woman, sorrowfully, "but it is a burden that we were created to carry. Should you fail in your task, the Adfectus Witch line will be broken, and all hope gone. You must prevail. You will have only one shot at defeating Marcel, and you must make it catch."</p>
<p>Ottilie nodded, soberly, feeling her heart rate start to pick up as the information sunk in. In order to defeat Marcel, she had to access her full power. And to access her full power, she had to die.</p>
<p>She looked up at the woman. "I understand," she said, and the woman smiled kindly at her again, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.</p>
<p>"I know, and you are not alone, Ottilie. I am here. Always." Ottilie nodded, and closed her eyes, feeling her vision swirling once again before everything went black.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Greg watched as Ottilie stood, staring up at the stone on which she had laid her hand. She hadn't moved for some time now, and he walked cautiously over to her, noticing her eyes were shut. "You okay?" he asked, wondering what she was doing.</p>
<p>She didn't respond and he moved closer, placing an arm on her shoulder, still getting no response. He shook her a little, calling her name, panic starting to build as her eyes remained firmly shut.</p>
<p>"Otti, you're scaring me," he said, quietly, before looking around for her rucksack that she'd taken off and lent against a tree stump. "If you don't answer me, I'm going to call Damon," he threatened, giving her shoulders one more shake.</p>
<p>Sighing as she remained unresponsive, he ran over to her rucksack, feeling in the pocket where he knew she kept her phone. With relief, he noticed that it didn't have a password and he opened her contacts to call her dad, who picked up after just a few rings.</p>
<p>"Otti..."</p>
<p>"Mr Salvatore, it's Greg,"</p>
<p>Damon's attention suddenly snapped to the voice on the other side of the phone. "What's happened? Why are you using Ottilie's phone? Where is she?"</p>
<p>"She's with me in the woods, by the old standing stones. She's been staring at one for ages and I can't get her to talk to me. I didn't know what to do... Oh my God, Otti!"</p>
<p>"What?! What's happened?" Damon almost shouted down the phone at the terrified boy.</p>
<p>"She's just dropped to the floor, oh my God, I don't know what to do, I think she's having one of her attacks..." Greg's voice was frantic and terrified, and Damon found himself needing to keep him calm.</p>
<p>"Okay, Greg, I need you do what I say. I'm on my way, but you need to help her. Okay?" He grabbed the kit that they kept by the door for emergencies.</p>
<p>"Yes, sir," came the frightened reply.</p>
<p>"Roll her onto her back and tilt her head back. Check her pulse, you know how to do that?"</p>
<p>"Yes," confirmed the boy, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder as he rolled his friend onto her back, wincing at the limp movements of her limbs. "She's got a pulse, it's really fast."</p>
<p>"Okay, is she breathing?"</p>
<p>Greg sat still, watching Ottilie's torso for any movement, grimacing as he saw her straining for air. "Yeah, but I don't think she's finding it easy."</p>
<p>"Okay, you're doing great," Damon surprised himself with how calm he sounded, "make sure her head is tilted back, that'll make it easier for her to breathe. I'm almost with you."</p>
<p>Greg gently held the girls forehead to keep her head back, his other hand clutching at hers, willing her to be okay. "Wake up, Tillie, please..."</p>
<p>He felt a whoosh of air and saw Damon crouching beside him. "Well done, Greg, now I need you to give me some room, and call Stefan, okay? If you can't get hold of him, try Elijah." Greg nodded and scrambled away from them, already looking through the contacts on Ottilie's phone for Stefan.</p>
<p>Damon still knelt by his daughter, took hold of her petite shoulders and shook her gently, listening as her heart raced. "Okay, Otti, time to snap out of it," he said firmly, before setting a hand over her heart, feeling it thud under his palm, as if it were trying to break out of her body.</p>
<p>"Have you got hold of Stefan?" he called over to Greg, who shook his head. "Try Elijah..." He broke off as the little girl started to seize in front of him. "Oh shit..." he swore, cradling her head to stop it hitting the ground and causing her further injury.</p>
<p>"Mr Elijah, hi, I'm Ottilie Salvatore's friend. Damon said to call you, we are at the standing stones, Ottilie is having an attack..."</p>
<p>Damon heard Greg stuttering down the phone to Elijah and sighed, knowing that help was on its way. Keeping his focus on his daughter, he watched as tremors left her body, and she slumped limply back to the ground, all trace of the seizure gone as quickly as it arrived.</p>
<p>Once, Damon would have felt relief. Now he felt only panic as he knew what was likely to happen next. Sure enough, leaning in to hover his cheek over her mouth and nose, he realised she'd stopped breathing.</p>
<p>Positioning himself at the side of her head, he tilted it back once again, pinched her nose, and took a deep breath before pushing it forcefully into her lungs, repeating the action every few seconds. Greg watched in horror for a minute or so, before noticing a second whoosh of air as yet another vampire arrived, one he recognised from Damon's birthday party.</p>
<p>Elijah crouched next to Ottilie's side, his face full of concern as he watched his friend trying to revive his daughter. "How long has she been down?" he asked, taking her dainty wrist in his hand, checking her pulse, frowning as he found it racing.</p>
<p>"About 8 minutes," said Damon, between breaths. "Kit is..." he gave her another breath, "behind me."</p>
<p>Elijah grabbed the canvas bag and pulled the defibrillator from it, taking out the pads and putting them carefully under Ottilie's t shirt before switching it on.</p>
<p>Pinching the top of his nose, Elijah waited for the machine to try and read Ottilie's heart rhythm, whilst Damon kept breathing for her. "Shock advised" said the machine.</p>
<p>"Clear," instructed Elijah, and waited for Damon to stop his contact with Ottilie before pressing the button, wincing as her body flinched from the shock. Damon immediately continued breathing for her.</p>
<p>"Do you need to swap?" asked Elijah. Damon shook his head, continuing the grim task with fervour.</p>
<p>"Shock advised" said the machine again.</p>
<p>"Clear."</p>
<p>Again, Ottilie's tiny body jolted painfully, landing back on the hard earth. She still wasn't breathing and Damon could feel the panic he'd repressed starting to build.</p>
<p>"Come on, Ottilie!" he said, his voice slightly raised in desperation. He bunched up his fist and rubbed it aggressively over her sternum, just as Stefan had shown him, in a bid to get her to respond.</p>
<p>"Shock advised."</p>
<p>"Clear."</p>
<p>For the third time, her chest jerked, but still, she remained motionless.</p>
<p>"Shit, what the hell is going on?" shouted Damon, completely losing his cool now. Elijah, realising that Damon was about to have a break down, pushed him out the way and kept breathing for Ottilie, knowing it was her only hope of surviving this.</p>
<p>"Come on, Miss Ottilie," he whispered to her, between breaths. "Come on!"</p>
<p>He suddenly noticed her chest quivering, as if she were trying to take a breath, and he gave her another one, trying to coax her to breathe for herself. "That's it," he said encouragingly, still breathing for her occasionally when she was taking too long to take a breathe herself.</p>
<p>Damon was hovering over her, hope replacing the horror on his face. He grabbed her hand, stroking it gently, whispering to her to come back to him. Suddenly remembering Greg, he turned to look at the boy who was crouched by the tree stump with Ottilie's rucksack, his face stained with tears.</p>
<p>"She'll be okay, Greg," he said, as much to reassure himself as to reassure the young man who obviously cared so much for his daughter.</p>
<p>"Damon, we need to get her to a hospital," said Elijah, after a few minutes of coaxing Ottilie to breathe. "You carry her, I'll bring Mr Blythe and call Dr Laughlin. She should be stable enough for you to move her now," he added, disconnecting the girl from the defibrillator.</p>
<p>Damon nodded, and scooping his daughter gently into his arms, he sped off in the direction of town, leaving a distraught Greg and exhausted Elijah to follow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Chapter 48</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You had us worried there for a while, kid.” She heard the voice before she saw who it belonged to, opening her eyes slowly and blinking at the bright light around her. She looked around for the person who had spoken to her, her eyes falling on Alaric, who was sat by her bed, holding her hand tightly. </p><p>“Welcome back, Otti,” she heard a softer, female voice on the other side of the bed, and turning her head weakly, she saw it was Jo, who was inspecting one of the monitors that she was connected to. </p><p>She smiled weakly, and nodded in silent thanks as Ric handed her a glass of water and supported her to drink it, smoothing her hair gently from her face. </p><p>“What happened?” she asked quietly, after a few sips of water, relishing the feel of it soothing her hoarse throat. </p><p>“You had a one of your attacks, Otti,” said Jo, turning to look at her, and Ottilie noticed how tired she looked all of a sudden. “Your body was so exhausted from it that you’ve been out for four days.” </p><p>Ottilie’s jaw dropped. She’d never been unconscious for that long – no wonder she felt so weak. “Four days?!” she exclaimed. “Where’s my dad? And Stefan?” she asked suddenly, looking around the room for any sign of them, and seeing only one of Stefan’s books carefully laid on a table at the back of the small room. </p><p>“I made them go home to rest and eat,” said Alaric, “they hadn’t left you for days, and being in a hospital isn’t the best idea for a hungry vampire, you know…” </p><p>She nodded. “Thank you for being here,” she said, squeezing Ric’s hand gently and smiling. </p><p>“That’s alright, sweetheart. I’m going to go and call Damon, okay?” </p><p>She fell back into her pillows, watching as he left the room, trying to remember what happened to her. The last thing she remembered was being at the standing stones with Greg… Greg! Was he okay?</p><p>“Ottilie,” said Jo cautiously as the monitors tracking Ottilie’s heart began to show signs of her being in distress.</p><p>“Is Greg okay?” asked Ottilie, worry plastered across her face as she tried to sit up. </p><p>“Yes he’s fine, Otti, you need to take some deep breaths, okay? He’s totally fine, just worried about you. He’s been to visit you every day with his parents,” said Jo, trying to reassure the girl and stop her having another attack, keeping a careful eye on the monitor. </p><p>Ottilie took a shaky breath. “What’s happening to me?” she asked quietly, looking Jo square in the face. </p><p>“Your body is exhausted,” said Jo, honestly, “you’re at a high risk of having another attack, so we need to keep you calm. I’m going to give you something to help, okay?” </p><p>Ottilie nodded, focusing on breathing as deeply as she could, whilst Jo left the room briefly to get some medication. By the time she returned, she was already drifting back to sleep.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“She’s going to have to go back on the beta blockers, Damon, she’s not strong enough to survive a surgery.” </p><p>“She didn’t react well to them last time, she couldn’t keep her blood pressure up. I don’t want her fainting everywhere!” </p><p>“She was much younger then. Her body will be able to metabolise it better now she’s grown a little, and she won’t be on a high dosage – just enough to keep her stable until we can operate.”</p><p>Ottilie lay, listening to the hushed, urgent voices around her, the owners of which apparently weren’t aware that she was listening. She’d dreamed of the strange lady she’d seen when she touched the standing stones, and all that had passed returned to her memories. Jo sounds grim, she sighed, still with her eyes shut. But I just have to stay alive to defeat Marcel.</p><p>“Otti?” Damon had noticed her sigh, and rushed over to sit by her, taking her small hands in his. “Otti, you’re awake!” </p><p>She opened her eyes reluctantly, slightly relieved to see that it was dark now, and the bright lights had been dimmed. </p><p>“How do you feel, sweetheart?” he asked gently, stroking her hair adoringly.</p><p>“I’m okay,” she said, quietly, not sure how else to respond. She felt awful, in truth, but didn’t want to worry her dad any more than she already had. </p><p>“Liar,” teased Damon, leaning in to kiss her forehead, “but it’s okay. I still love you.” </p><p>She smiled weakly. “Love you too. When can I come home?” </p><p>“Not for a little while yet, Otti, you stay here so the doctors can keep an eye on you. They’re a bit worried about it happening again.” </p><p>She nodded, sighing a little at the thought of being stuck in the square white room for any longer.</p><p>“What happened, Otti? Greg rang me to say that you were just staring at a stone before you collapsed?” </p><p>“I’m not sure, I was touching the stone and had a kind of vision, I guess. I know…” she saw a look of dubiety cross Damon’s face, “I know… but honestly, it was like I was in another world. I saw a woman who looked a bit like me – actually she said she was me, and that my soul purpose was to defeat Marcel to balance nature.” </p><p>Damon looked confused. “I thought Adfectus Witches didn’t serve nature?” </p><p>She shrugged, deciding to leave the bit out about nature witches not having enough power, and her only having enough power if she was prepared to die for it. Luckily, Damon decided not to press the matter, simply relieved that she was more or less okay. </p><p>“You hungry?” </p><p>“Not really”</p><p>“You need to eat, Otti, or you won’t get better.”</p><p>“I know… hospital food sucks…”</p><p>“Shall I go and cook something and bring it back?” Damon offered, knowing that such an offer was surely irresistible. Right on cue, her face light up and she nodded, smiling at him. “I’ll be back soon,” he said, kissing her again before speeding off, back to the boarding house. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Hey!” she said brightly, looking up as her latest visitor entered her room. It was the third that day, and although she was extremely grateful for the care that people were showing her, she was absolutely exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. But this visitor quickly shoved those feelings out of the way, and sat up in bed to greet Greg. </p><p>“Hi,” he said, shyly, almost holding back from going to her as he took in her appearance. Sure he’d seen her whilst she was unconscious, but now that she was awake, it was more obvious how pale she was, and how thin and frail she suddenly appeared. </p><p>Mrs Blythe, who had accompanied her son to visit his friend, seemed to sense his dismay, and moved quickly to avoid prolonging it, and perhaps embarrassing Ottilie, should she realise it. </p><p>“Ottilie, darling!” she said, walking up to the girl and enveloping her in a motherly hug. “It’s so good to see you awake. We’ve all been very worried for you, but we knew you’d be okay!” </p><p>She pulled out a tin of cupcakes. “I’ve been baking this morning – would you like one?” </p><p>Ottilie nodded gratefully and thanked her, whilst Greg finally walked over to her to take the seat next to his mother, smiling at his smaller friend.  All three of them tucked into the cakes, and Ottilie listened with attentively whilst Greg recounted stories from school.</p><p>Half an hour later, Mrs Blythe stood up, brushing some escaped crumbs into the tin. “I’m just going to nip to the loo, darling,” she said to Greg. “Then we’ll leave Ottilie in peace, okay? I’m sure she’s desperate for a nap!” She smiled down at Ottilie before leaving the two young teenagers. </p><p>“I’m really sorry, Greg,” said Ottilie, shyly, aware that she’d probably traumatised him for life.  </p><p>Greg just shrugged, smiling slightly at her. “I guess I’m getting used to it,” he teased, making her giggle. “Seriously though,” he said, suddenly sober, “I was really scared. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you, Tillie…” </p><p>She looked up at the sound of her new nickname. “Tillie?” she queried. </p><p>“Otti – sorry…” </p><p>“No it’s okay, I like it – nobody’s called me that before.” </p><p>“And I really like you, Tillie…” whispered Greg, before leaning down to kiss Ottilie gently, feeling himself blush. Pulling back as he heard his mother turning the handle of Ottilie’s door, he looked at the girl, noticing the faint pink in her cheeks.</p><p>She smiled shyly at him, wishing the kiss could have lasted just a little longer. </p><p>“Thank you for coming to see me, and for the cakes, Mrs Blythe – they were lovely!” said Ottilie, finally finding her voice after the initial shock of Greg kissing her had left her. “Will you come back tomorrow, Greg?” </p><p>“Of course, Tillie.”</p>
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<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Chapter 49</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Happy Birthday, Otti!” </p><p>She groaned, unwilling to open her eyes after a bad night’s sleep, but forced them open, along with a smile on her face. “Ah thanks, guys…” She managed, trying her best to convince them that all was fine. </p><p>“I can’t believe my little lady is 14!” said Damon, hugging her and placing a kiss on her head. </p><p>“I can’t believe I’m spending my 14th birthday in hospital…” retorted Ottilie, frowning as she tried to push herself up to a sitting position, failing miserably, and falling back into the pillows, exasperated. </p><p>Damon sighed, placing her wrapped present down at the end of the bed so that he could put his hands under her arms and lift her to a more comfortable position. “Otti, we’ve talked about this.” </p><p>“No, you’ve talked about this with the doctors, and not even asked me what I want to do, and what I feel would make me better.” </p><p>Damon didn’t reply, looking at his brother, standing in the corner of the room with his arms crossed against his chest, for support. Stefan, catching Damon’s look, took a step forwards, and took the spare seat next to the bed whilst Damon perched on the edge of it. </p><p>“Otti, we can’t take you from the hospital – the doctors say you’re not strong enough,” he tried reasoning with her, knowing that she was probably too fed up to listen to reason. </p><p>“You could compel them – you know you could – you’ve done it before!” </p><p>“I know, and maybe that was a bit hasty of us,” cut in Damon, “but Otti, we can’t look after you properly at home. Look at all this –“ he gestured to the machinery and monitors connected to his daughter’s frail body. “How could we honestly say we were caring for you properly if we were to take you back without all of this?”</p><p>Ottilie huffed and lowered her eyes to the bed, trying to keep back her tears, knowing they were right, and hating the fact. She knew that she wouldn’t manage well at home – she could barely sit up alone, let alone get to the bathroom or up the stairs by herself, and she definitely didn’t want her family having to help her in that department… </p><p>“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Damon tried again, reaching to tip her chin gently so that she was looking at him. “We will celebrate your birthday properly when you’re out of here, okay? And today, we will make the best of it.”</p><p>She nodded, trying to muster a smile for her dad, and hating herself for being so spoiled and bratty. </p><p>“Okay, present time!” exclaimed Stefan, pushing a wrapped box into her hands, mindful of the IVs that were sticking out of them. </p><p>Unwrapping it, she gasped in delight – it was a beautiful lined journal and pen set. “Wow, Stefan, it’s lovely. Thank you!” </p><p>He smiled adoringly at his little niece, “so you can write about all the exciting things that happen to you,”  he teased, as she rolled her eyes at him. </p><p>“Not that anything exciting will happen in here!” she countered, sticking her tongue out at him. </p><p>“Okay, my turn!” interrupted Damon, reaching for the small present he’d placed at the end of her bed. “Careful, it’s antique…” </p><p>She handled it gently, amazed to find an old polaroid camera and film. “I love it, Dad, thank you,” she said, genuinely smiling at him for the first time that day. </p><p>“That’s so you can take pictures of all the exciting things that happen to you,” he smirked at Stefan.</p><p>They spent the rest of the morning chatting, before they left her to rest, promising that they’d be back that evening, and that the rest of their friends would be popping in to see her throughout the day. </p><p>Sure enough, all of the Mikaelson siblings came to wish her a happy birthday, followed by Lexi, then Caroline, Bonnie, Tyler and Matt. Later in the afternoon, Greg stopped by with a huge cake that his mother had baked for her, and they sat and chatted together until Greg had to go, leaving her with a chaste kiss on the lips and a blush on her cheeks. Smiling happily to herself as she relieved it, Ottilie drifted off into a deep sleep. </p><p> </p><p>“But do you really think this is best for her? We can’t protect her if we aren’t around?” </p><p>“I just think she needs a break from all the supernatural stuff, Stefan. Marcel will keep looking for her here, and we can deal with him, and she’ll be safely away from it all.” </p><p>“She’s not going to like this, Damon…” </p><p>“I know, but I don’t know what else to do. She was dying in my arms, Ric – you have no idea what that’s like. I can’t lose her – and I’ll do anything to stop her from suffering. Even if it makes her hate me.”</p><p>“Jo, you’re the doctor here. What are we looking at?”</p><p>“I’ll be honest with you Stefan, it’s not good. Even on the medication we’ve put her on, if she has another attack that big, I honestly don’t know that she wouldn’t go into cardiac arrest – and you know it’s not 100% that she’d pull through that, especially as she is now.”</p><p>“Shit. So you think we should send her away?” </p><p>“I think she needs to be away from as much stress as possible, and dealing with all this isn’t going to help. She needs to rest and get stronger before we can even consider operating on her. She needs the ICD but in her current state, I don’t think she’d pull through the surgery.” </p><p>“ICD?”</p><p>“Oh, sorry, Ric. It’s an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. It’ll shock her heart before an attack has any chance of taking hold. It’s not a big surgery, but she’s so weak at the moment.” </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ottilie lay in bed, listening to the conversation going on near to her. For once, she was relieved that her heartbeat was so irregular that nobody in the room would be able to tell that she was awake and taking in all they were saying. She knew that she had to avoid being sent away at all costs, or how else was she going to defeat Marcel? Keeping her eyes shut, she carried on listening. </p><p> </p><p>“So what do we do? Send her away to stay with Ric’s friends, and then lure Marcel in and sort him out?” she heard Stefan ask, sounding somewhat dubious. </p><p>“Yep,” replied Damon, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. </p><p>“You think we’ll be able to defeat him?” Ric sounded concerned. </p><p>“If we can’t, nobody can – the Mikaelsons will be there, and we’ll have Bonnie and her voodoo stuff.”</p><p>“And what if Kai turns up?” </p><p>“Kai is dead.”</p><p>“You don’t know that for sure. How many times have we fallen for that one with that bastard? Oh, sorry Jo…” </p><p>“No, it’s true. He is a bastard. And even if you think he’s dead, I wouldn’t be resting on my laurels…”</p><p>“So it’s decided. As soon as she’s fine to leave the hospital, she’ll go out of state.” </p><p> </p><p>Ottilie knew what she had to do. She had to lure Marcel to Mystic Falls before her family sent her away, so that she could kill him, before he killed her family, and she had to do it without telling anyone. I suppose I’d better really start trying to get stronger… she thought before opening her eyes reluctantly, and eying up the unappetising plate of hospital food in front of her.</p>
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<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Chapter 50</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ottilie was once again awoken by the hushed, urgent voices of her father, uncle, Alaric and Dr Jo. She would have almost found it funny, had she not heard what they were saying.</p><p>“Jo, I need you to discharge her now.”</p><p>“Damon, I can’t! She’s not ready to go yet.”</p><p>“She’s loads better – you said so yourself earlier!”</p><p>“I know, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to be released from hospital yet – she’s still a fall risk for god’s sake!”</p><p>“Surely, you understand, Jo, Damon is just thinking of Otti. If Marcel is coming tonight like he has warned, we need her as far away as possible. He’s specifically said that we’re to meet him with Otti!”</p><p>“No, Stefan, I won’t agree to this. My professional opinion is that it would be harmful to Ottilie to move her and so I won’t sign it off. If you’re worried about this Marcel guy, you’ll have to make sure you have someone with her tonight to keep her safe, but it is not safe to move her right now.”</p><p>“Okay, we tried the nice way. You’re going to release Ottilie to me now.”</p><p>“DAMON!” Alaric sounded like he was about to rip Damon’s head from his shoulders.</p><p>“You can’t compel me Damon, I’m on vervain.” Ottilie smirked, almost imagining the cool, unaffected shrug that would have accompanied Jo’s words, and the pure rage that would surely be on Damon’s face right about now.</p><p>She thought carefully over the conversation. So Marcel was coming to Mystic Falls tonight, and they all seemed to know about it except her. They were obviously planning some sort of attack against him, which however nobly intentioned, was inevitably doomed to fail. They simply couldn’t beat him – the woman in had said as much. That meant that tonight was the night – she’d have to escape from hospital and whoever had been assigned to guard her, access her full magic and defeat Marcel.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Deciding that now would be a good time to let them know that she was awake, before her rumbling stomach gave her away, she opened her eyes and started fidgeting in bed a little, trying to get their attention. The rage that was inevitably evident on her dad’s face faded immediately as he saw his daughter awake, and he sped over to her bedside.</p><p>“Morning, little otter,” he said lovingly, kissing her head gently. “How are you feeling today?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” she said, shrugging. “Better than yesterday…” She suddenly realised that if she was to convince Damon that Jo was right, and that she shouldn’t be moved from that hospital, she was going to have to appear weaker than she actually feeling. “Although I still feel very weak,” she said pathetically, and hating herself for it.</p><p>Damon smiled gently at her, and brushed a stray brown curl from her face. “Are you hungry?”</p><p>She nodded eagerly, knowing that he was likely to have brought her something cooked from home for breakfast, as had become their little ritual. Sure enough, Stefan walked in with a brown paper bag, and she opened it to find a lunch box filled with pancakes and fruit.</p><p>“Ooh my favourite,” she said, delighted, and wasted no time tucking into them. If accessing her full powers was going to kill her, she’d be damned if she didn’t enjoy her last breakfast.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>She passed the rest of the day, staring at the boring white ceiling of her room, thinking about how unsatisfying this was as a last day alive. She knew that her family and friends would be preparing for a battle they couldn’t possibly win, and she sighed heavily, turning over in bed.</p><p>“Hey, Tillie.” The voice made her turn around to see who it was, standing in the doorway of her room.</p><p>“Oh, hi Greg,” she said, smiling warmly at him. “How are you?”</p><p>“I’m good, you?”</p><p>She shrugged, “yeah fine thanks.”</p><p>“I’m going on holiday tomorrow for the summer so I just wanted to come and say goodbye,”</p><p>Ottilie almost had to stop herself laughing at the irony of his coming to say goodbye, but she grinned at him, trying to appear as normal as possible. “That’s so exciting,” she said, “I really hope you have a great time! I can’t wait to hear all about it.”</p><p>Greg looked at her oddly. She seemed to be smiling sadly, he thought. “I don’t mean to rub it in, if that’s what’s happened?”</p><p>She looked at him, confused.</p><p>“You know, that you’re in here,” he gestured around the room, “and I’m off on holiday.”</p><p>She laughed, “oh no, you’re not rubbing it in. I’m really excited for you,” she said, genuinely, and he relaxed a little.</p><p>“Oh okay, good,” he said, walking up to her and sitting on the edge of her bed, looking at her shyly. “I hope you’re all recovered by the time I come back. Maybe we can try another walk together.”</p><p>She nodded, “I’d like that.”</p><p>“Just promise not to die this time…”</p><p>He was teasing, she knew, trying to make light of the situation, but she couldn’t bring herself to lie and promise to him. So she laughed instead, leaning in to kiss him softly on the lips. He returned it until he pulled away, reluctantly.</p><p>“I’ve got to go, bye Tillie.”</p><p>She waved goodbye and watched sadly as he left her room, wondering if she’d ever see him again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I’ve got to head off now, Otti, but Lexi is going to stay here for a little longer, okay?” Damon stood to leave as Lexi walked in clutching a brown paper bag, and Ottilie nodded, smiling innocently at him. It made sense, she thought, that Lexi would be asked to stay with her. After all, if they were going to encounter Marcel, they didn’t want to give away that she could heal his bites.</p><p>“Bye, Dad, love you,” she said, reaching out for a hug, which he, of course, returned, ruffling her hair gently as he pulled away.</p><p>“Love you too.”</p><p>“So I brought take out!” said Lexi, brightly, although Ottilie could sense the tinge of anxiety surrounding her, and knew she was worried for the safety of her boyfriend and friends.</p><p>“Ooh sounds good! Shall we watch a film whilst we eat?” she asked, doing her very best to appear as normal as possible, as she knew that Lexi was more astute than Damon, and would be more likely to tell that she was planning something if she wasn’t careful to hide it.</p><p>She enjoyed the evening with Lexi whilst keeping a careful watch on the time. She knew it was likely that Marcel would show when it got dark, and it would be easy enough to find the meeting point by doing a locator spell for Damon. The nurse came in to do her night time checks, and said a little pointedly, that visiting hours would be over soon. Lexi smiled at her, and simply compelled her that she was staying and to make sure that anyone who questioned it was fine with it.</p><p>Finishing the film, she saw Lexi looking out the window, completely lost in her own thoughts, obviously wondering what was happening outside of the hospital walls. Ottilie took a deep breath and, mentally apologising to her, closed her eyes and cast the spell. By the time she reopened her eyes, Lexi was snoring gently in her chair, and she knew she would not wake for several hours. Gently picking up a book belonging to Damon, she closed her eyes and began to try and locate him. Her eyes shot open. Got him…</p><p>She got carefully out of bed and dressed in the clothes that Damon had left in her locker for when she was finally allowed out, and kissing Lexi gently on the cheek before she left, slipped the little note she’d written for her, Damon and Stefan into her hand.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“You’re sure he’s going to be here?” whispered Rebekkah, and Ottilie detected a trace of nervousness in her voice.</p><p>“His messenger minion said that we were to meet him here after dark with Ottilie,” replied Klaus.</p><p>“Is everyone clear on the plan?” asked Elijah, straightening the lapels of his suit jacket and tweaking the position of his white handkerchief.</p><p>“Hope and I brain-aneurysm him, and whilst he’s incapacitated, you attack,” said Bonnie, who had just arrived to catch the end of the conversation.</p><p>“Indeed,” confirmed Elijah. “And no heroics people. Marcel is dangerous, and we know already that his bite is fatal, even to us.”</p><p>“You don’t have to tell me…” said Damon, shuddering at the memories of Lexi being bitten by Marcel.</p><p>“And if Kai is here?” asked Kol.</p><p>“He’s dead” replied Damon, shortly.</p><p>“He’s not,” came a voice from the darkness, behind a stone. “But luckily, you’ve only got me to deal with tonight, and if you’ve done what I’ve asked, and brought the girl, then you’ve got nothing to worry about.”</p><p>“Marcellus…” said Klaus, stepping towards where the voice was coming from, warning laced into the fake pleasantness of his tone. “How… lovely… to see you again.”</p><p>“Klaus, you’re looking well.” The tall figure of Marcel stepped out from behind a stone, and surveyed the group of supernatural beings in front of him. “My my, Klaus – have you made friends?” He chuckled, gesturing to them.</p><p>“Please, let’s skip the flirting,” said Elijah, stepping forwards to stand by his brother. “We cannot give you the Adfectus Witch.”</p><p>“Oh Elijah, serious as ever. How you disappoint me. You see, I came here in good faith that my oldest friends would deliver me what I want, and now, I just feel let down.” Marcel looked around the group, noting the nervous glances they shared with one another, and relishing in the fear he so easily created.</p><p>“She is just a child, Marcel,” said Klaus, “we will not allow you to take her.”</p><p>Marcel laughed heartily, before turning his gaze to Damon and Stefan. “Ah, the Salvatore brothers. Have you gotten over the tragic loss of your little friend? I’m sure it was a… painful end…”</p><p>Damon angrily took a step forward but Stefan managed to pull him back.</p><p>“Poor old Lexi,” Marcel continued, grinning at the rage blatantly visible on Damon’s face. “All she needed was my blood to cure her. Alas, that ship has sailed…”</p><p>He looked around at everyone, the crooked smile leaving his face and a stony, angry look replaced it. “Now, I fear this trip has been somewhat wasted as you haven’t brought me the witch, but I can make the best of it, I’m sure. Maybe I should create a little incentive for the little witch to come to me…. I do so hate leaving New Orleans, after all.”</p><p>Taking a step towards them, he suddenly fell to his knees, clasping his hands to his head and groaning in pain. Damon looked towards Bonnie and Hope and saw them both with one arm outstretched, muttering spells under their breath. Turning his focus back to Marcel, he saw him struggling to get back to his feet, and took the opportunity to run over to him in a bid to kill him. Marcel, however, was already standing by the time he reached him, and easily threw Damon from him, watching as the younger vampire went sailing through the air before hitting a tree and slumping heavily to the floor.</p><p>Stefan, looking at his brother’s body grimly, ran at Marcel, followed closely by Kol. Marcel was ready for them, and brandishing two vervain-laced wooden stakes that he’d hidden behind him, stabbed them both through the stomachs, relishing in their cries of pain.</p><p>“He’s healing quicker than we can repeat the spell…” gasped Bonnie, blood running from her nose as Hope was holding her up. “We can’t keep him down!”</p><p>Klaus and Elijah exchanged grim looks before running to attack Marcel themselves. Again, Marcel was ready and he simply stuck his arms out, breaking through the ribs of the two original vampires, and grabbed their hearts in his hands. “This is too easy…” he smirked. “And too quick. You left me, for years to suffer. I want you to suffer too.” With that, he bit each of them violently, and watched in satisfaction as realisation clouded their faces. Withdrawing his hands from their chests, he let them drop to the forest floor as the effects of his bite already began to take hold.</p><p>Walking up to Rebekkah, he stopped to look her in the eye. “I loved you once, Bekkah,” he said, softly stroking her cheek, loving the fear laced in her light blue eyes. “But you betrayed me, along with them,” he turned his head to glance at Klaus and Elijah writhing on the ground in pain, before returning his gaze to her. “You so badly want to be with your family. Who am I to deny that?” Baring his fangs, he tore into her neck, holding her up as her legs gave way and she screamed in pain, before dropping her carelessly to the floor.</p><p>“Who’s next?” he queried, looking around at the terrified people still left standing. “Ah you’ll do!” He walked over to Kol and Stefan, who were badly weakened by the vervain-laced stakes that they’d only just managed to pull from out of their bodies.</p><p>“It’s a shame really,” he said, dropping their bodies to the ground after biting them both. “You all would have made such wonderful upgraded original vampires. But you’ve made your choice by denying me what I wanted.”</p><p>“And you…” he looked over Damon, who was lying at the foot of a tree, “you’re just getting on my nerves now…” He sped over to him and bit him, smiling in satisfaction as the effects of his bite hit Damon immediately, and he groaned in pain.</p><p>Finally, he looked at Hope and Bonnie who were doing their best to keep up with the brain-aneurysm spell, but to little avail. “I’ve no idea what my bite does to witches, and whatever you are,” he gestured to Hope. “Care to find out?”</p><p>He sped over to them and bit Hope first, watching in satisfaction as she fell to the ground, gasping in pain, followed by Bonnie who shortly joined her.</p><p>Marcel looked around, surveying the carnage he’d caused – the bodies writing on the floor in agony, and he smiled. “Be sure to let the little witch know – if the cure to my bite is wanted, she need only come to find me. She has about 6 hours before she loses her entire family.”</p><p>He smiled cruelly before speeding off into the darkness.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sneaking out of the hospital was far easier than she had expected. It was night time checks, and the staff were bustling around, tending to their patients, far too preoccupied to notice the young girl, dressed in normal clothes, who could easily be a visitor.</p><p>Exiting the main doors of the building, Ottilie breathed in the fresh air in relief. God, she’d missed this, having been stuck in her room for over a week. She set off in the direction of where she’d tracked Damon to - the standing stones again. How fitting, she thought, wryly. Luckily, it wasn’t too far from the hospital to get to the woods, and she was careful to place a masking spell over her, so that no vampire or other supernatural being would hear her, or her heartbeat as she approached. She couldn’t risk being found by Damon or his friends before Marcel arrived. She just hoped she wasn’t too late.</p><p>She felt a sudden drip of warm liquid on her top lip, and brushed absently mindedly at it, sighing in annoyance when she realised it was blood from her nose. It was hardly surprising, she thought. After all, she’d not used magic in a week now, and she was just expecting to pick up where she left off, despite being weaker than normal. She shrugged it off, and continued into the woods, being careful to keep behind the coverage of the thick trees, looking around for any sign of her friends.</p><p>When she finally approached the stones, it was dark, and it was easy enough for her to hide behind a dense formation of tree stumps so that she wouldn’t be seen. Something was off, she thought. The atmosphere was tense and filled with pain, and she could hear someone moaning in agony. She arrived at the stones and looked about her in horror as she took in her family and friends all collapsed on the ground, dying.</p><p>Dropping her masking spell, she ran to the tree where she saw Damon, and shook his shoulders, trying to get him to wake up. “Damon?” she called to him, willing him to open his eyes. “Damon? Dad? Wake up! Please!” Tears started to fall freely from her eyes, and she broke her gaze off from her father’s face to look around at the rest the supernatural beings strewn across the forest floor.</p><p>They were all dying, she knew, and she could see the blistering, torn skin where Marcel had bitten them, the dark veins expanding as the poison took over their battered bodies. She knew what she had to do, and turning back to Damon, she took his hands gently in hers, closed her eyes and concentrated hard.</p><p>Damon felt the tingling in hands as he slowly regained consciousness, and opening his eyes groggily, was horrified to see his daughter knelt in front of him, trying to heal him. He glanced at the wound on his arm and saw that it was diminishing, seeming to disappear back into itself. Looking around the clearing in the forest, he gasped to see all of his friends and Stefan lying lifelessly on the floor, all of them evidently bitten as he had been.</p><p>Swallowing hard, he looked back at the pale face of his daughter, suddenly understanding that she was going to try and heal all of them, and knowing that it would likely kill her. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and he realised that he was fully healed.</p><p>“Ottilie,” he said, softly, “what are you doing here?”</p><p>“I knew you were going to try and attack Marcel, so I snuck out…” she said, avoiding his gaze in a bid to avoid any anger. He shook his head in disbelief. “Hey!” she argued back, “I’d say it’s a pretty good thing that I’m here!” She gestured at his now healed arm and he nodded, before noticing her swaying a little and grabbing her to support her.</p><p>“Otti, you can’t possibly heal everyone…” he said, knowing full well that she was going to ignore him completely.</p><p>“And I can’t possibly choose who to save and who to let die, so what do you suggest I do?” she retorted, holding onto him for support as her knees threatened to give way. “Who’s here?” she asked, and Damon quickly rattled off a list as she nodded.</p><p>“Okay…” she said, shutting her eyes, and after a few moments, Damon noticed his brother stirring as he started to come round. Ottilie had managed to heal him without touching him, he realised in surprise, and he held the small girl tighter, trying to will some of his strength into her, but knowing that unfortunately it didn’t work like that.</p><p>Next to heal was Klaus, as Ottilie worked through the list of people bitten in the order that Damon had given her. Stefan was over by Ottilie and Damon by now, watching, frightened as his niece grew weaker and weaker.</p><p>“This is killing her, Damon,” he whispered to his brother who was holding his daughter protectively. Just then, the girl’s legs gave way and she would have fallen to the floor had Damon not been holding her. He lowered her gently to the ground, placing her head on Stefan’s lap and wiping the blood from her nose.</p><p>“Otti, you have to stop…” he said, his heart sinking as he knew she wouldn’t.</p><p>“No, I’ve still got five more to heal,” she said, gritting her teeth as pain washed over her suddenly. “I can do this. I have to do this.”</p><p>Damon shook his head and pinched the top of his nose in resignation, knowing there was no changing her mind.</p><p>“I’ve linked the spell to my life force,” she said, suddenly, and his head snapped up to look at her. “As long as I’m alive, they’ll heal, okay? Just… don’t let me die…”</p><p>“What are you talking about?” asked Damon, suddenly starting to panic. “You’re not going to die!”</p><p>“No, I’m not…” she said, her eyes starting to flutter closed and Damon lurched forwards to take her face gently in his hands.</p><p>“No, no Otti, stay with me!” he called to her, urgently as Stefan watched in horror. “Keep your eyes open, you hear me?”</p><p>Listening closely, they focused in on the sound of her heart racing, despite the medication she was on to steady it. This can’t be good, thought Damon has he tried to keep his daughter awake. Four more to go, he thought as Kol started to stir.</p><p>“You’re doing so well, sweetheart,” he said soothingly, clasping her hand tightly and stroking her head gently. “Kol is better now, only a few more to go. Hang on for me, okay? I can’t lose you. I won’t.”</p><p>He could hear her heart slowing down and he sighed, sharing a relieved look with Stefan who smiled weakly at him. After a few moments, however, he noticed that it was still slowing, now sluggish and weak, beating pathetically at long intervals.</p><p>“Otti…” he whispered, patting her face as her eyes flickered open. “Otti, you’re scaring me baby, keep your heart beating, okay?”</p><p>She smiled weakly at him, “love you, Dad,” she said and Damon felt his stomach lurch as she started to slip into unconsciousness.</p><p>“Oh no you don’t, Otti,” he said, rubbing her sternum vigorously with his fist in an effort to keep her awake, “stay with me!” Her eyes were darting about, looking from him to Stefan. He could barely hear her heart now and he grimly locked eyes with Stefan who nodded to him.</p><p>Kneeling by his daughter’s side, he locked one hand on top of the other and placed them in centre of her chest. He started to press down, hard and fast, grimacing at the cracking of ribs he felt under his hands. Looking down at her pale little face, he noticed her eyes start to roll back as she finally slipped into unconsciousness.</p><p>“Come on, Otti!” he muttered under his breath, realising now that the only heartbeat he could hear was when he pressed on her chest. He continued with chest compressions, making sure they were deep enough but feeling sick at the feel of her frail ribs breaking as he pushed. Stefan moved to lay the little girl’s head gently on the ground, tipping her chin back and administering rescue breaths when Damon paused the compressions.</p><p>They continued CPR for what felt like hours, barely noticing as one by one, the rest of the group started to rouse as Ottilie’s magic healed them. Eventually it was only Rebekkah and Bonnie left. Klaus was crouched next to his recovering daughter, watching grimly as Damon tried to revive his daughter, remembering only too well the panic and fear he’d felt when doing the same to Hope when she’d collapsed a few years ago.</p><p>“Ottilie, please…” sobbed Damon, as he tried his best to keep his daughter’s heart beating, “Otti, come back!” He was exhausted, having only just recovered from Marcel’s bite himself and having had to do chest compressions for about eight minutes. Klaus ran over to them and took over for him, keeping up the fast, deep compressions whilst Damon clutched his little girl’s hand, sobbing openly.</p><p>“Rebekkah is healed,” said Elijah weakly, holding his sister to him as she started to stir. “Just Bonnie now.”</p><p>“You’re doing so well, baby,” whispered Stefan into his niece’s ear, “just Bonnie left now, just stay with us.”</p><p>Bonnie started to stir and opening her eyes, looked at the heart-breaking scene in front of her. Stefan was breathing for his little niece whilst Klaus was pounding on her chest in a bid to keep her heart beating. Damon was in pieces, clutching her limp hand to his chest and crying. Looking around, she saw everybody else with tears running down their faces, realising how dire the situation was, and sharing Damon’s unimaginable pain.</p><p>“Ambulance is on its way…” said Elijah, replacing his phone back into his pocket and staggering over to where his brother and friends were working on Ottilie.</p><p>“I’ve got a pulse!” said Klaus suddenly, his ear to the little girl’s chest as he listened intently. He sat back on his heels, running a shaky hand through his hair whilst Damon leapt forwards to be close to his daughter whilst Stefan kept breathing for her.</p><p>“Otti, stay with us, okay? You’re doing so well, sweetheart, I’m so proud of you, and I love you so much. Just open your eyes, please…” he whispered soothingly to her, keeping one ear on the slow, unsteady thump of her heart.</p><p>The ambulance arrived a few minutes later, although Ottilie still hadn’t come around or started breathing for herself yet. The paramedics burst out the back of the ambulance, their worst nightmare – a child in cardiac and respiratory arrest – in front of them. They made quick work of getting her into the ambulance and connecting her to their machines to monitor her heart and breathing.</p><p>“I’ll go with her,” said Damon, following the stretcher as her friends nodded.</p><p>“We’ll meet you at the hospital” replied Stefan, his eyes never leaving the tiny body of his niece strapped to a stretcher whilst a paramedic pumped air into her lungs.</p><p>Settling in a seat next to Ottilie, Damon took her hand once again and held it tightly. “Don’t you leave me, little Otter,” he instructed in a low voice. “Because if you do, I don’t think I could live without you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Chapter 51</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hang on for me, okay? I can’t lose you. I won’t.”</p><p>Ottilie heard the desperation in her father’s voice, and tried her very best to hold on to what little consciousness she could, but she could feel her strength fading, and it was getting increasingly difficult to breathe. She felt her eyes start to shut as Damon called to her again, trying his best to hold on to her.</p><p>“Otti, you’re scaring me baby, keep your heart beating, okay?”</p><p>She could feel it slowing, sluggish and pathetic, and she willed it to keep going, just a little longer, at least until everyone was healed. Forcing her eyes open, she gazed unsteadily up at Damon. “love you, Dad,” she managed, in a hoarse whisper, trying to unsee the desperation in his face as she felt her consciousness slipping.</p><p>“Oh no you don’t, Otti,” she just about made out, before a sharp pain in the centre of her chest shocked her back awake, and her eyes fluttered back open to see Damon rubbing his knuckles roughly over her sternum. “Stay with me!” Damon demanded, his teeth gritted as he grabbed her face with his hands, willing her to stay awake.</p><p>She looked from him to Stefan, feeling her heart start to slow to nothing. She saw Damon’s eyes leave her face and lock with Stefan’s, who nodded. Damon removed his hands from her face and she almost groaned as she lost the comfort of him holding her.</p><p>The next thing she knew, Damon was pushing down hard and fast on her chest, trying to keep her heart pumping for her. She looked up hazily at his terrified, yet determined face, and felt a wave of pain wash over her as her ribs broke under the force.</p><p>Her eyes slowly starting closing, and she heard Damon sobbing, “come on, Otti!” and the guilt replaced the pain. This wasn’t fair on him, she thought, on any of them. Perhaps it was best for them if she simply drifted away…</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The next time Ottilie opened her eyes, she was standing next to one of the large standing stones, completely unharmed, with the woman staring at her, concern all over her face.</p><p>“It’s not your time, Ottilie,” she said sadly, walking forwards to take the younger girls hand in her own, turning it over to trace the lines on her palm. “You’ve yet to balance nature, you cannot end the Adfectus line.”</p><p>Ottilie didn’t speak, just gazing at the beautiful woman in front of her.</p><p>“You need to fight, Ottilie” continued the woman, holding Ottilie’s hand with a firmer grip now, as if willing the strength into her.</p><p>“I can’t,” said Ottilie, quietly, averting her gaze from the piercing eyes of the woman. “All I do is cause my family pain. It’s better this way.”</p><p>The woman shook her head vehemently, “no, it that is not the truth. Your family needs you. Only you can defeat the upgraded original vampire, and should you not, your family will cease to be. Marcel Gerard will not allow them to live.”</p><p>“Ottilie, please…” she heard Damon sobbing, and she looked around for where his voice had come from. “Otti, come back!”</p><p>Ottilie felt the panic start to lurch at the thought of her family dying because she wasn’t there to protect them, and looked back at the woman with terror in her eyes.</p><p>“I’ll fight – please, just tell me what I have to do.”</p><p>The woman nodded, her face set in determination. “I will send you back, but you will have to grapple with your ill health to survive. Fight like you have never fought before, and when you feel like giving up, remember what I said. This will not be easy for you, Ottilie, and your greatest sacrifice is yet to come, but remember, as I said before, you are not alone. Good luck, child.” She shut her eyes and slowly loosened her grip on Ottilie’s hand, and Ottilie felt herself being pulled away from her by some invisible force, before she was suddenly back on the cold ground, the incessant pressure still on her chest as someone pushed down on it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I’ve got a pulse!” she heard someone announce, perhaps Klaus, the relief evident in his voice.</p><p>“Otti, stay with us, okay? You’re doing so well, sweetheart, I’m so proud of you, and I love you so much. Just open your eyes, please…” Damon was whispering in her ear, but although she tried her hardest, with every ounce of strength she had, she couldn’t open her eyes.</p><p>Feeling air being pushed into her lungs, she tried to force herself to take a breath, but she couldn’t seem to remember how to do it. She was relieved when suddenly oxygen was pushed more forcefully into her and she felt gentle hands lifting her onto something smoother than the ground. There were voices around her, hushed but urgent, saying things she didn’t understand, giving instructions that she couldn’t quite make out.</p><p>“I’ll go with her,” she heard her Dad say, and she felt relief wash over her as he took his hand in his rough one, stroking it gently yet firmly.</p><p>“Don’t you leave me, little Otter,” he whispered into her ear. “Because if you do, I don’t think I could live without you.” She relaxed, and let sleep take over, knowing that she’d made the right decision by coming back. Yes it would be tough, but with her family around her, she could do anything.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Damon, how is she?”</p><p>Damon’s head shot up in the direction of the voice, and was met with the concerned, guilt ridden face of Lexi. He shrugged, not knowing what to say to her.</p><p>“Damon, I’m so sorry, I don’t know how you can ever forgive me. I must have fallen asleep, but I wasn’t even tired, I just don’t know…”</p><p>“Lexi,” he interrupted, holding a finger against her lips in an attempt to stop the torrent of sorrow filled words spilling form his girlfriend’s mouth. Instead, she burst into tears, and he found himself wrapping his arms protectively around her, pulling her to him and stroking her hair gently.</p><p>“Lexi, it’s not your fault. I don’t blame you.”</p><p>“You don’t?” she sniffled, pulling away to study his face for verification.</p><p>“I don’t,” he said, smiling slightly at her. “I’m pretty sure out little witch may have had a hand in helping you drift off – she said that she knew that Marcel was going to attack – she planned this.”</p><p>“Still, I should of…”</p><p>“No. This is not on you, Lexi” he said, firmly, holding her face in his hands and gently wiping stray tears from her cheeks.</p><p>“Is she okay?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” he sighed, and for first time, Lexi took in the strained features of his face, and how tired he looked. “It wasn’t looking too good for a while,” he said, looking away from her. “Her heart stopped in the forest, but we managed to get it going again just before the ambulance arrived.”</p><p>He looked at his girlfriend’s hopeful face, hating that he had to tell her what happened next. “But then she crashed twice in the ambulance.”</p><p>Her jaw dropped, and she clasped his hands tightly.</p><p>“They managed to bring her back quickly the first time,” he continued, his voice numb and monotone, “but they were still trying to revive her the second time when they brought her in. She’s in surgery now.”</p><p>Lexi sighed shakily, not knowing what to say, but was saved the hassle of coming up with something by the rest of the group rushing in.</p><p>They hurried over to Lexi and Damon, most of them clutching opaque water bottles and coffee cups, one of which they handed to Damon, who, having quickly inspected it’s contents, took it gratefully, sipping at the blood inside. The scene would have been almost comical had it not been for the fact that they were waiting to hear about Ottilie.</p><p>“Any news, brother?” asked Stefan, gently, placing a comforting arm on Damon’s shoulder.</p><p>Damon shook his head. “She’s in surgery now. All we can do is wait.”</p><p>Stefan nodded grimly and went to call Caroline who was out of town to tell her what was going on.</p><p>“She’s strong, Damon.” He turned to see Klaus, looking paler and more drawn than usual walking towards him. “She’s a fighter. She will survive this, you’ll see.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Chapter 52</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 52</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Any change, brother?” asked Stefan, looking around the door into Ottilie’s small hospital room to see his brother looking tired and strained, seated by his daughter’s bed, his elbows propped on his knees, his head in his hands. </p>
<p>Damon looked up as he heard his brother enter the room, shaking his head. “No,” he said tiredly, “they said she’d had an uneventful night compared the last couple, but that there’s no sign of her waking up any time soon.”</p>
<p>“But it’s been almost a week now,” said Stefan, exasperated at the lack of development in Ottilie’s condition. </p>
<p>Damon just shrugged, somewhat dejectedly. “I guess she’ll wake up when she’s ready to – besides, whilst she’s asleep she’s healing. God knows she needs that.”</p>
<p>Stefan nodded, thinking back to the rather alarming report from Jo, who, after being called by the hospital, had rushed straight into Ottilie’s surgery. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>One week earlier</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The good news  is that we were able to fit the ICD whilst she was under anaesthetic so she shouldn’t have any more attacks – or at least, no more of this magnitude,” she’d announced to the room of worried family and friends, all pale faced and exhausted, none of them daring to ask what the bad news was. </p>
<p>“The bad news is that some of her ribs were broken and punctured her spleen and one of her lungs. We managed to treat these in her surgery, but they’d caused massive internal bleeding, and we estimate that she lost about 45% of her blood volume. This caused her to go back into cardiac and respiratory arrest a few times but we’ve got her on a life support machine and a transfusion and we’re hoping that if we take it day by day, we will start to see some improvement...” </p>
<p>Damon felt his knees start to give way and his vision swam with little black dots as he began to crumple towards the floor, only to be caught by strong arms, linking around his own. He vaguely made out Alaric and Stefan dragging him to a chair and pushing his head down between his legs, and a comforting hand stroking his back as he gasped in air, trying to push the dizziness away.  </p>
<p>Jo watched her partner trying to comfort his best friend and before turning grimly back to the rest of the group, all frozen in horror. “She’s in a coma now, but she’s stable and you should be able to go and see her pairs soon. I’m really sorry…” she added, knowing that nothing she could say would make them feel any better, and momentarily hating her job before she turned back up the corridor to go and talk to the other doctors about Ottilie’s outlook. </p>
<p>“This is my fault,” muttered Damon weakly, still pale and shaky. </p>
<p>Stefan looked at him, baffled as to how he could blame himself. “What?! How?”</p>
<p>“I must have done it wrong – pushed too hard – I could feel her ribs breaking, and I should have stopped.”</p>
<p>Stefan shook his head, “no way, Damon, you kept her alive. If you’d stopped, we wouldn’t be here at all – we’d be in a morgue…” </p>
<p>Damon didn’t reply, turning away in a bid to hide his tears, but Stefan noticed and embraced him, holding him tightly as he felt his brother trembling. “Jo said we could see Ottilie. Shall we go and ask her now?” </p>
<p>Damon just nodded, not trusting himself to speak, and Stefan lead him gently down the corridor, following the route that Jo had just taken. </p>
<p>They were soon shown in to a small room with just one bed, on which a small girl, so pale that she almost blended in with the sheets, was laying, covered in tubes, wires and machines. Damon stifled a sob as he cautiously approached his little girl, shocked into silence as he took it all in. He’d seen his daughter hospitalised before, but never with this amount of medical intervention, and it took him a few minutes to absorb it.</p>
<p>Stefan walked over to his niece and took one her hands in his. “You know, Damon, some studies suggest that patients in comas can hear what’s going on around them, even if they can’t yet respond. Talk to her, it’ll comfort her to know you’re here.” </p>
<p>Damon just started at him, still too shocked to take in what his brother was saying, so Stefan started talking gently to Ottilie, stroking the back of her hand gently. </p>
<p>“Hey, Otti, we’re all very worried about you, you know. You scared us! But everyone else is just fine, you saved us all, and I’m so proud of you.” He looked up at Damon who was now listening intently, and gestured at him to come over and join them, which he did, although hesitantly.</p>
<p>Sitting down on the opposite side of the bed to Stefan, Damon took Ottilie’s other hand, mindful of the wires and IV lines, and brought it slowly up to his face to kiss it gently.</p>
<p>“I’m going to leave you alone for a few minutes, okay?” said Stefan, getting the idea that Damon wanted to be on his own with his daughter for a while. Damon nodded and Stefan got up to go and inform the rest of the worried group about Ottilie. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m really sorry that I hurt you, Otti,” whispered Damon, stroking a loose curl away from her face and smiling fondly as it joined the others spread prettily over the white pillow. “I was just trying to keep you alive,” he said, the look of sadness returning to his face. “Please wake up, let us see those gorgeous green eyes and that smile again – I miss it already.” </p>
<p>He heard a  gentle knock at the door and turned to see Lexi, looking nervous and holding a small piece of paper. He gestured at her to come in and she quietly took the seat where Stefan had been sat, overwhelmed by the situation. </p>
<p>“Erm, so when I woke up and Otti had gone, I was holding this note – it’s from Otti and it’s to you, me and Stefan. I thought you should read it first. I guess she was planning this all along…”</p>
<p>Damon nodded slightly before taking the note offered to him, taking a deep breath and unfolding it. The letter was short, written in Ottilie’s neat handwriting, and on reading it through, he felt tears prick the back of his eyes again. </p>
<p>
  <i>Dear Damon, Stefan and Lexi</i></p><p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p><i>
<br/>
My family – the best I could ever have hoped for. Thank you for taking me in when I had nowhere to go, for protecting me when others wished me harm, and for loving me when nobody had before.<br/>
I am grateful to you all beyond belief, and that is why I must apologise for what I’m about to do. I know it will cause you pain, but it is the only way to defeat Marcel. I don’t know what is going to happen, but I do know that I will do anything to keep you safe.<br/>
Please pass on my gratitude and love to our friends, and thank them for looking out for me. I am simply returning the favour.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i></i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>All my love,<br/>
Ottilie</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Silently, Damon passed the letter to Lexi, who on reading it, burst in tears.</p>
<p>“Can you take it to Stefan?” asked Damon, quietly, his face never leaving his daughter’s. Lexi left without a word, taking the note with her. “You returned the favour ten times over, sweetheart,” he said softly. “Please, please, come back to me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Chapter 53</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hello?” Stefan answered the phone, mildly annoyed to receive a call from his brother when he knew he was on a date with Caroline. It had taken Stefan ages to summon the courage to ask her out after what had happened with Elena, and he didn’t appreciate being interrupted.</p><p>“Stefan, it’s me. She’s awake, she just woke up!”</p><p>Stefan jumped up from his seat at the grill in surprise, meeting Caroline’s delighted eyes as she’d overheard Damon’s words with her vamp hearing and was already collecting her things together to leave.</p><p>“We’re on our way!” Stefan said, excitedly. “Is Lexi there?”</p><p>“Yeah, she came over earlier to bring some stuff I needed. See you later.”</p><p>Stefan took Caroline’s hand and put some money on the table to cover their drinks. “Sorry to interrupt the date like this but…”</p><p>“Stefan, I get it! Come on!!” Caroline dragged him from the grill and as soon as the coast was clear, they vamp sped to the hospital, arriving and walking at a more human pace up to Ottilie’s room, a journey they now knew well, after over a week of doing it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When they arrived, they were met at the door by a very tired but relieved looking Damon, who, somewhat uncharacteristically, hugged them both.</p><p>“She’s okay?” asked Caroline, trying to look past Damon to get a glimpse of the young girl through the glass window in the door.</p><p>“Yeah, she’s alright. She’s really tired but wanted to stay awake until you’d had a chance to come and see her. She’s mad at me for interrupting your date though…” he grinned at them both before opening the door to Ottilie’s room and beckoning them in.</p><p>“Otti!” cried Caroline, delighted to see her sitting up in bed after so long. She rushed to her and hugged her gently, mindful of the wires and stitches from her surgeries hidden beneath the oversized hospital gown.</p><p>Stefan stayed back, taking a moment to let the relief of seeing his niece awake wash over him, before stepping forwards and gently untangling Ottilie from his girlfriend’s arms to take her in his own. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said softly, kissing her head gently. “I’m so, so glad you’re okay…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Damon looked over at Lexi who was standing in the corner of the small room, having made space for Stefan and Caroline. He grinned happily at her, which she readily returned, mouthing ‘I love you’ at him. God he adored her, he thought, as he walked over to her to kiss her lovingly whilst his brother and Caroline were preoccupied with Ottilie.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I’m very sorry that I interrupted your date,” said Ottilie, quietly, to Stefan and Caroline, who quickly burst out laughing. Trust Ottilie to wake up from a coma and then feel bad about her timing.</p><p>“This is the best date I could have hoped for,” said Caroline generously, smiling shyly at Stefan who blushed.</p><p>“Are you okay, Stefan? You’re all healed from the bite?” asked Ottilie, her worry evident in her tone.</p><p>Stefan nodded, quick to reassure her. “Yes, completely fine thanks to you. We all are.”</p><p>She smiled, her worries appeased for now, and nodded, yawning.</p><p>Damon sped over to her, back into protective father mode. “I think Otti should get some rest now; we don’t want you to get overtired, okay?”</p><p>She nodded and Lexi, Stefan and Caroline said their goodbyes, promising to stop by the next day.</p><p>“Will you stay?” asked Ottilie, in a quiet voice, and Damon looked at her with a smile as she drifted off, fighting to stay awake to hear his answer.</p><p>“Of course, sweetheart. As long as you want.”</p><p>“Love you”</p><p>“Love you too, little otter.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Another week later and Ottilie was finally allowed to be discharged from hospital, and she couldn’t contain her excitement. School had already started back after the summer break and she was anxious to not fall behind, despite the fact that she’d already been well ahead of her peers.</p><p>“Lexi will help you get changed, okay?” said Damon, handing his girlfriend a bag of some of Ottilie’s comfiest clothes as the young girl nodded, smiling widely at the thought of getting out of the hospital gowns she’d been in for over two weeks. Kissing her gently on the head, Damon took his leave to go and sign the forms Jo required him to whilst Lexi unfolded Ottilie’s clothes.</p><p>“Do you think it’d be safe to give her some blood to speed along her healing?” Damon asked Jo in a low voice as he signed the forms she’d given him on a clipboard.</p><p>“I’m obviously not going to recommend it officially, but I don’t think she’s in any danger medically, so if you can keep her safe for the next 24 hours until it’s out of her system, then it may be something you’d want to consider” she replied, diplomatically whilst avoiding eye contact with Damon, but failing to miss the smug look that crossed his features.</p><p>“She’s very frail, Damon,” she added, wanting to make sure that he was under no illusions when it came to her condition. “She will get stronger, but it’s going to take time and a lot of care and rest. The surgery took a lot out of her and she’s going to need you.”</p><p>Damon nodded, “of course” he replied simply. “We’ll take good care of her, make sure she’s resting, feed her up and all the rest. She always gets weaker in hospital because she hates the food.”</p><p>Jo laughed, “well she’s certainly not alone there!”</p><p>Damon handed the clipboard with now completed forms back to Jo and thanked her for everything she’d done for his daughter before he left to go back to her room, hoping that she’d be changed and ready to by now.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Lexi was waiting for him outside the door, her face showing concern. “What’s wrong?” he asked, suddenly worried.</p><p>“Nothing really, it’s just when helping Ottilie, I couldn’t believe how thin she’s gotten. She’s literally wasting away – I could see every bone in her body. Do you really think we’re doing the right thing to take her out of hospital?”</p><p>Damon nodded firmly. “Absolutely. She needs her own bed, her own things around her, and some good home-cooked meals and she’ll be back on her feet in no time. We’re doing the right thing, Lexi, I promise.”</p><p>She nodded, trusting him completely to know what was best for his daughter and followed him as he went into Ottilie’s room, noticing how he tried his best to hide his shock at how frail she looked, now that she was no longer smothered in a huge hospital gown.</p><p>“Ready to go, little lady?” he asked, pulling himself together and clearing his throat. She nodded excitedly and he lifted her into the wheelchair that was beside the bed, noting how weightless she felt in his arms, before gently pushing her out of the room that he hoped never to have to set foot in again. “Time to go home, sweetheart”</p>
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<a name="section0054"><h2>54. Chapter 54</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ottilie was recovering quickly thanks to the help of some vampire blood, the taste disguised by the orange juice in which it had been carefully poured, with her permission, of course. The scars from her surgeries healed completely and she felt stronger every day, despite the fact the blood couldn’t heal her heart condition, or the effects of having used so much power.</p><p>It was early in the morning, and Ottilie was staring wistfully out of her bedroom window, watching as the wind picked up some of the fallen leaves, now turned orange as nature brought on autumn. She sighed, wishing she could go to school and see her friends, who with the exception of Greg, hadn’t been permitted to see her after her illness. She longed for the normality of school, the dull routine of classes, breaks and bells guiding her every move. Instead, she was stuck indoors, feeling stifled by the well-meaning but over-cautious protection of her father and family whilst she tried to get strong enough to prove that she could cope outside of the confines of the boarding house.</p><p>The little machine surgically implanted onto her heart sent out a shock, and she jumped as she felt her heart jolt. Although not painful, it was taking some getting used to, and she hated the sudden jerk it made her body do, as if she were no longer in control of it. Absentmindedly rubbing the spot on her chest where the ICD was, she jumped again as Damon entered her room, concern on his face.</p><p>“What are you doing up, little lady? It’s super early!” he said, moving towards her bed where she was sitting, her eyes still fixed on the view from her window.</p><p>“I couldn’t sleep,” she shrugged. “I should be getting ready for school now – it’s been ages!”</p><p>Damon sighed, reaching to ruffle her brown curls gently as he prepared himself for the discussion they’d had many times before. “I know, sweetheart, and you can go back soon, it’s just too soon.”</p><p>“But I’m better now, I’m healed! I drank your blood and it fixed everything!”</p><p>“Not everything, Otti, you know that.”</p><p>She sighed, casting her eyes down from her window in defeat. The occasional nosebleeds had been unnerving when they first started, but after consulting Bonnie, they were pretty sure that they were simply a side-effect from using so much magic to heal everyone from Marcel’s bites. “They’re just nosebleeds…” she tried to argue.</p><p>“Ottilie, I don’t want you going back to school until you’re completely better.” Damon was firm, not wanting to have to explain himself again.</p><p>“Do I get any say in this? It’s my body – my health – my problem!” She countered, angrily, narrowing her eyes in frustration at her father.</p><p>“No, you don’t get a say. You’re my daughter, and my responsibility. If I think you’re not strong enough to leave yet, then you’re not going to leave. Understand?”</p><p>“No! You’re always making decisions for me, but you never ask what I think is best for me – surely I should know?”</p><p>“Actually, you don’t know. You’re a stubborn teenager with a severe health problem and an even more severe hero complex. You’re not leaving this house so that you can go and risk your life again trying to find Marcel.”</p><p>“I just want to go to school!!”</p><p>“You’re not leaving this house until you can defend yourself properly – it’s not safe! We can’t protect you whilst you’re in school. What if Marcel should turn up there to take you?”</p><p>“You couldn’t protect me if he came here either!” protested Ottilie, immediately regretting the words as she saw a look of hurt flicker across Damon’s face. He stood up to leave, not trusting himself to keep his temper in check. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that…” she tried to tell him but he shook his head at her.</p><p>“You’re right, Otti,” he said quietly, looking at the ground, his face anguished. “If Marcel were to come here to take you, I couldn’t protect you. But at least I could die trying so that I wouldn’t have to hold you dying in my arms again.” With that, he turned and left the room, closing her bedroom door gently.</p><p>Ottilie remained sat in her bed, stunned at what he’d said. She knew that although what she’d said had been the truth, it was wrong of her to have said it, and that she’d hurt Damon deeply, and she wished more than anything that she could take it back. She sighed, blinking back tears of frustration, and wondering what she could do to make it up to him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Lexi was sat in the front room, having heard the exchange between Damon and Ottilie, and looked up as she heard him coming down the stairs, his face thunderous and his eyes sad. “You okay?” she asked gently, knowing that he wasn’t.</p><p>He shook his head, grabbing his favourite leather jacking and making for the door. “I need some air,” he said, whilst Lexi quickly jumped up to join him.</p><p>“She didn’t mean it,” she said, as they walked quickly away from the boarding house.</p><p>“But it’s true,” he said. “I can’t protect from Marcel” he said simply, letting the realisation and severity of the statement wash over him. “I can’t save her.”</p><p>Lexi took his hand gently, turning it over in hers as she searched for the right words. “Maybe you don’t need to save her, Damon.”</p><p>“I’m her father, Lexi, of course I need to save her!” He was exasperated, pulling his hand from hers and running it through his hair.</p><p>Lexi took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. “You don’t need to save her, but you can help her save herself.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Teach her to defend herself, support her with her magic, give her something that’s going to make her want to save herself.”</p><p>“You don’t think she wants to?”</p><p>“I don’t know, Damon – she’s locked up in the house all day, and has been for weeks. Not exactly much of a life to save…”</p><p>“She was ill!”</p><p>“And now she’s better! She needs to get back out, to live a little – she’s a teenage girl, Damon, for God’s sake.”</p><p>“I can’t lose her, Lexi,” he said, suddenly quiet, and as if on cue, the heavens opened and rain began to pour down around them, bouncing from the tarmacked drive. “I can’t lose my little girl.”</p><p>“I know, sweetie,” Lexi walked over to him, wrapping her arms gently around his broad shoulders, and breathing in the aroma of him mixed with the rain. “I know, but this isn’t something you can control. You need to trust her.”</p><p>Lexi felt Damon’s shoulders begin to shake as he sobbed quietly, finally coming to terms with the fact that he could not save his daughter from Marcel; that was something only she could do. He just needed to help her do it, and he knew that he’d help her until his dying breath.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Heading back indoors, Damon and Lexi were caught off-guard by the warmth of the house as they walked in. Looking around for its source, they saw the fire roaring in the grate, and a steaming mug of hot chocolate left on the little table by the edge of the sofa. They looked over to the door to the kitchen as Ottilie walked slowly out, holding a plate piled high with buttered toast which she placed next to the mug, not noticing the two vampires stood by the door.</p><p>“Otti…” began Damon, and she turned quickly, before walking over to him as briskly as she could on wobbly legs and throwing her arms around him.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Dad,” she said, mumbling into his chest as she hugged him. “I know you’d do anything to protect me, and I’m so sorry I said that.”</p><p>Damon felt a lump in his throat and picked his little girl up, holding her tightly to him and burying his face in her long curls. “I’m sorry too, little otter,” he said, softly. “I’ve been so frightened of losing you that I’ve locked you up here. That was wrong of me.”</p><p>“You were just scared, it’s okay. But I can take care of myself, I promise.”</p><p>“I know, sweetheart, and after you get back from school tomorrow, I’m going to help in whatever way I can to make sure that you’re strong enough to protect yourself, even when I can’t myself. Okay?”</p><p>She nodded, and scrambled back to the ground, tugging on his hand to lead him over to the sofa by the fire. “I made you a hot chocolate,” she said, pressing the mug into his hands as she shot Lexi an amused look. “To say sorry,” she said, shrugging. “Oh, and some toast.”</p><p>“Sorry toast? Maybe we should sack off the training tomorrow and I’ll teach you how to cook…” he said, smirking at her whilst Lexi elbowed him in the ribs.</p><p>“That’s really kind, Otti, I’m sure Damon is very grateful…” She shot him a meaningful look and he quickly wiped the smirk from his face.</p><p>“It’s perfect, thank you Otti.”</p>
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<a name="section0055"><h2>55. Chapter 55</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Damon’s eyes shot open as he gasped for air, looking desperately around him to work out where he was. He was in the forest, in the clearing where they had met Marcel weeks ago. It was dark and the moon was hanging heavily in the sky, signalling that night was well underway. </p><p>Scrambling to his feet, he looked around to see whether anyone else was near him, his brow furrowing in confusion as he spied nobody in the clearing. Using his vamp speed, he sped from his side of the clearing to the other, in the direction of home, only to come across an invisible barrier preventing him from leaving. The speed at which he hit it caused him to ricochet back, hitting a tree painfully and stunning him for a moment.</p><p>Gathering himself, he stood up cautiously, looking around once again for the source of the barrier, finding nothing and no one. He walked slowly over to where he had hit it, feeling the deep scratches on his back where he had hit the tree starting to heal. He placed a hand tentatively against where he thought the barrier was, taking in a sharp breath as he felt the jolt of magic pulsate from it, running through him, seemingly exiting his body into the earth. </p><p>He took a quick step back, removing his hand and looking more agitatedly around him. Who was doing this to him? Why was he trapped? Why didn’t he remember coming to the forest? </p><p>“Hello?” he called out, walking to the centre of the clearing and using his vamp hearing to focus in on any reply he might pick up. Instead of a response, he heard only a dull thud, perhaps 100m away, and he sped through the trees, still cautious of any invisible barrier to inspect it. </p><p>He stopped suddenly, a few feet short from the person lying curled up on the ground,  their hair and clothing eerily familiar, their face contorted with pain and covered in beads of sweat as they gasped for air, clutching at a gaping wound with black veins dispersing from it. </p><p>“Stefan!” Damon ran to his brother, falling to his knees in front of him and gathering him into his arms. “Stefan, what’s going on? What’s happened?”</p><p>His brother gave no reply, just gazing up at Damon, his eyes rolling in fear and pain as he panted, unable to form a sentence. Damon looked at the wound on Stefan’s arm and had a sudden horrible realisation, recognising it as the effects of Marcel’s bite. </p><p>“No…” he gasped, holding Stefan closer to him, looking around desperately for anyone or anything that could help. “No, Stefan, stay with me…” He could feel his brother slipping away, and he shook him in vain, trying to keep him awake. “Stefan, please!” He begged as his brother’s eyes closed, and the dreaded grey tinge of desiccation began to sweep across his body, slowly at first, then faster as it consumed him. </p><p>Damon was in shock, beyond dismay as he watched his little brother dying, the one constant in his long life. He heard a cry, almost unhuman and full of nothing but the deepest of pain, and it took a second before he realised that it came from him, cut off only as he heard another dull thud. Placing his brother gently on the ground and stroking his hair tenderly as his tears fell freely, he swore to come back for him before he sped off in the direction of the other thud, fearful of what he might find. </p><p>“Damon…” he heard the pitiful cry for help and felt his heart stop as he realised who it was. </p><p>“Lexi!” he screamed, trying his best to locate her through the thick branches of the trees. “Lexi, where are you?”</p><p>“Damon, help, please…” the cry was weaker, full of pain, and he ran as fast as he could towards it, almost stumbling over Lexi’s body, curled up on the forest floor. </p><p>“Oh my God, Lexi,” he breathed, taking in the sight of his girlfriend, bleeding heavily from her neck where he spied another of Marcel’s bites, identification courtesy of the veins spreading out of it, carrying it’s bitter poison throughout her body. “No, not you too, Lexi,” he fell to the floor, his heart breaking as he held his girlfriend. He bit into his wrist, holding it to her mouth, but knowing deep down that it wouldn’t help. “You’re okay,” he whispered to her, trying to convince himself as well as her.</p><p>She shook her head with the last of her strength. “This is your fault, Damon.” </p><p>He felt his blood run cold as he took in her words. His fault?</p><p>“My death… it’s on your hands…” He felt her body grow limp, and watched in horror as similarly to Stefan, she began to desiccate. </p><p>“No, no, LEXI!” he shouted, shaking her in a futile attempt to wake her up. He was openly sobbing now, beyond confused and desperate to escape this nightmare. Yet again, he heard a thud, this time quieter. Perhaps it’s further away, he thought, as he reluctantly set Lexi down on the floor, planting a loving kiss on her lips before he pulled away, wiping his eyes. </p><p>Speeding over to the source of the thud, he stopped short as he saw it. A smaller body this time, tiny, in fact, with long, curling brown hair and a petite face covered with the smattering of freckles that he loved so much. </p><p>“Ottilie, no…” he stumbled to her body, looking her over for the same, tell-tale signs of Marcel’s mark, but finding none. He fell in defeat next to her, checking her for a pulse and breathing, and feeling his stomach clench when he found none. </p><p>He immediately began to pump her chest hard, trying desperately to get her heart beating of its own accord, before pinching her nose and blowing air forcefully into her lungs. “Come on!” he muttered, as he gave her more chest compressions, wincing as once again, he felt her frail ribs breaking under his hands. “Don’t leave me…” He kept the CPR up for what felt like hours, pressing deeper, blowing harder in a desperate bid to revive her.</p><p>Damon wasn’t sure when he realised that she wasn’t coming back, that nothing he could do could bring her back to him. He collapsed over her small frame, sobbing, screaming her name, begging her to wake up, but knowing that she wouldn’t. </p><p>He heard some twig snap behind him, and he pulled himself up, his body heavy with the enormity of his loss as he looked around. </p><p>“You…” he hissed, his voice filled with the deepest hatred and loathing. “You did this”</p><p>The sing-songy voice edged with sarcasm and perhaps just a little madness replied. “Did you miss me?”</p>
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<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Chapter 56</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re dead,” breathed Damon, his eyes wide in shock and horror as he looked at the man standing before him, a smirk covering his face.</p><p>“Nope” replied Kai, popping the ‘p’ and laughing manically. “I think it’s time you wake up, don’t you agree?”</p><p>“What….?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Damon opened his eyes slowly, failing to stop a groan leaving his lips as pain washed over his broken body. He lifted his head up, trying to take in his surroundings, the panic beginning to grow as he realised that he was suspended in the air, his wrists and ankles bound tightly by ropes that were eating into his skin. They must be vervained, he thought to himself as he felt the familiar sting. He looked down, noticing the dried blood covering his bare chest and stomach, wondering what on earth had happened to him.</p><p>His head pounded and he realised that he was hungry, starving in fact. Where the hell was he, and how had he gotten here? The memories started to come back to him and he began to hyperventilate in panic – Otti, Stefan, Lexi – were they all… dead? He let out a desperate sob as he pulled at the ropes binding him, the futility of his efforts driving him into more desperation.</p><p>“Well you’re looking a little worse for wear,” the snide, jeering voice came from behind Damon, and he strained to turn and see who it belonged to, although he knew deep down, no matter how impossible it seemed.</p><p>Kai walked around the restrained, broken vampire, admiring his handywork and inspecting the wounds to Damon’s body with a disturbingly triumphant look upon his face. “Draining you makes you more susceptible, you see.” He spoke as if it were obvious, and seemed to enjoy the confused look on Damon’s face.</p><p>“More susceptible?” gasped Damon as another wave of pain rushed through him.</p><p>“Yes, more susceptible to the lovely little dreams I’ve been planting into that mind of yours.”</p><p>“You mean, they’re just dreams? My family are alive?” Damon slumped in relief, the ropes being the only thing stopping him from collapsing to the floor.</p><p>“Yep, just dreams. For now, I guess. I mean, don’t they say that dreams can come true?” Kai laughed at the look of hatred that Damon shot his way. “It’s been fun, you know, your mind is just so open… And there’s literally nothing you can do about it.”</p><p>“What do you want, Kai?”</p><p>“Oh my wishes haven’t changed since the last time we met. I want the girl, I want her power, you’re going to give it to me, yada yada yada.”</p><p>“Never going to happen, Kai,” Damon gritted his teeth as another wave of pain passed over him, trying to stay strong.</p><p>“Oh but it is, Damon.” Kai was suddenly serious, his gaze penetrating into Damon’s blue eyes, his voice hard and cold. “They’re going to come and find you, Damon, and when they do, I’ll be waiting, in the shadows, as I always do. Waiting for the right moment to strike. But for now, how about we try another little dream.”</p><p>Kai walked over to Damon who strained at the ropes in an attempt to get his hands on him.</p><p>“Tut tut, Damon, you can’t hurt me like this, not like you hurt me before. It’s my turn now.” He stared into Damon’s eyes, placing a cold fingertip to his forehead. “You’re not going to remember this conversation. You’re going to sleep and dream the nightmares that I’ve put in place for you. Then you’ll wake, and we will have this little conversation all over again…”</p><p>Damon shook his head in desperation, fighting hard to keep his eyes open but the pull of Kai’s syphoned magic was too great and he felt them closing, and the nightmare taking over once again…</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Any news?” asked Lexi, worriedly, as Stefan came back into the house, slamming the door behind him in frustration. Lexi sighed, the answer evident and unnecessary for Stefan to say aloud. She put her head in her hands. “What do we do, Stefan? It’s been over a week…”</p><p>Stefan shook his head, his mouth set grimly. “I don’t know, Lexi, we’ve been asking around but there’s no sign of him.”</p><p>“Can Hope, Bonnie or Otti try and track him?”</p><p>“They’ve all tried – something or someone is blocking their magic.”</p><p>“So a witch has got him?”</p><p>“It would seem so.”</p><p>“You don’t think it’s Kai, do you?”</p><p>“Kai is dead.”</p><p>“Right…”</p><p>Stefan flopped on the sofa next to Lexi, sighing in exasperation as he wracked his brains as to what to do next. The Mikaelsons were scouring the area for clues of Damon’s disappearance, the witches in their group repeatedly doing location spells to no avail, and Stefan, Lexi and Caroline had been searching every day for him. Ottilie was beside herself with worry, and both Stefan and Lexi were extremely concerned for what that worry might be doing to her health. She’d only recently recovered from her surgeries, and her frail body and health worried them both.</p><p>“Do we just wait?” whispered Lexi, not wanting to speak the words for fear that Stefan might think she’d given up on Damon. “I mean, whoever has got him – they must want him for something? For Ottilie? Surely at some point, they’re going to contact us with demands?”</p><p>Stefan shrugged again, exhausted by the strain of it all. “I can’t just wait, Lexi, he’s my brother. We have to do everything we can to find him.”</p><p>“Stefan, Lexi?” The two vampires looked up as the little witch walked down the stairs, her face pale and drawn.</p><p>“You okay, sweetie?” asked Lexi, getting up from the sofa to go and hug the young girl, knowing full well that she wasn’t. She was worried sick for her dad, and felt responsible, believing that perhaps it was her that was meant to be taken by whoever had him.</p><p>“I’ve been thinking about a way we could find him,” she said quietly, looking from vampire to the other.</p><p>“Go on?” said Stefan cautiously, not wanting to get his hopes up but interested to hear what Ottilie had to say.</p><p>“Well, we know that whoever has Dad is blocking the magic we use to try and find him,” said Ottilie, slowly, obviously thinking aloud as she voiced her idea for the first time. “We haven’t tried to track whoever has him?”</p><p>“Yes but Otti, we don’t know who has him,” said Stefan, patiently, trying to keep his face clear of the disappointment he felt as her idea amounted to nothing.</p><p>“No, we don’t know for sure, but we can surely try and track down people it’s likely to be? I mean let’s face it – isn’t it most likely to be Kai or Marcel?”</p><p>“Kai is dead, Otti,” said Stefan again, this time more firmly.</p><p>“You don’t know that!” countered Ottilie, “when we left him, he was dying, not dead. That doesn’t mean he was killed! He could have recovered somehow, and now he might have Dad!”</p><p>“So you want to try and track Kai?” asked Lexi, taking over and ignoring Stefan’s glare sent in her direction.</p><p>Ottilie nodded. “I want to track Kai and Dad at the same time. If it is Kai, I don’t think he’ll be able to deflect that much magic, especially if there are three of us doing the spell at the same time. He might only be able to shield either himself or Damon from the location spell.”</p><p>“It’s worth a try,” said Lexi, looking over at Stefan, who shrugged dejectedly. He was out of ideas, so why not?</p><p>“What do you need?” he asked the young girl.</p><p>“I need Bonnie and Hope, we need something belonging to Kai from Jo, and something belonging to Dad.”</p><p>“I’ll call the witches,” said Lexi, standing to go and grab her phone.</p><p>“I’ll call Jo and grab something of Damon’s,” said Stefan, disappearing upstairs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Only one hour later, the three witches were seated in the front room of the Salvatore boarding house, surrounded by more candles than Stefan had ever seen. They were surrounded by onlookers – Stefan, Lexi and Caroline, and the Mikaelson family, all with tense, apprehensive faces as they prepared to jump into action should they get any location from the spell.</p><p>The three witches joined hands, having gone over the plan once more. Hope was to locate Kai, Ottilie was to locate Damon, and both of them would channel Bonnie’s magic to boost their own in a bid to overpower Kai.</p><p>“Let’s do this,” said Hope, smiling encouragingly at the two nervous witches next to her. They all closed their eyes and began their soft chanting, repeating the words that even the rest of the group felt they could recite by heart.</p><p>Minutes passed and the two items belonging to the men they were trying to locate began to tremble on the coffee table on which they had been placed. The candles flickered uncontrollably and the wind howled outside, shaking the thin glass of the windows.</p><p>As quickly as the effects appeared, they stopped and the three witches’ eyes shot open, a triumphant look on their faces as they fell back exhausted against the sofa.</p><p>“Kai is alive,” announced Hope. “And I’ve got him.”</p><p>“Has he got Damon?” asked Stefan quickly grabbing a box of tissues to offer the three witches for their bleeding noses.</p><p>“We don’t know – if he has, he was able to deflect the magic from locating Damon but not himself” replied Hope, wiping the blood from her nose as it threatened to fall and stain her white top.</p><p>“Where is he?” asked Klaus, readying himself for attack.</p><p>“About 10 miles away, in Corkwell,” she replied, before looking over at her uncle Elijah who was crouched over by where Ottilie was sitting. “Uncle ‘Lijah?” she called over to him, but he didn’t reply, seemingly focused on the young witch collapsed on the sofa in front of him.</p><p>Stefan sped over to crouch next to him, his brows furrowed in worry as he took in the sight of his little niece, unresponsive on the sofa. “Otti?” he called, shaking her slightly in a bid to wake her up. “Otti!” he called more forcefully, starting to panic.</p><p>Elijah checked her over, feeling for her pulse and breathing, and sighing in relief as he found them to be normal. “She’s okay, Stefan, I think she’s just fainted. Maybe she wasn’t strong enough to do the spell?”</p><p>“She’s done plenty of them this week without this happening,” replied Stefan, worriedly, taking her gently into his arms and tapping her face lightly, trying to rouse her.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Damon was walking through the woods, gazing around for signs of anybody else being present. He was completely confused, but had the underlying, nagging feeling that he’d been there before.</p><p>He suddenly heard a small thud, and ran to where the noise had come from, gasping in horror as he saw the body of his daughter, limp and lifeless on the forest ground. He ran to her and gathered her into his arms, clutching her to his chest. He was relieved to hear her steady heartbeat, and stroked her face gently. “Otti, can you hear me?” he called softly to her, willing her to wake up. “Wake up, sweetheart!”</p><p>Her eyes began to flutter open, and it took her a moment to register that she was in Damon’s arms.</p><p>“Dad!” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him close. “Dad, you’re okay! I’ve missed you so much!”</p><p>“Missed me?” he asked, confused at her actions.</p><p>“You’ve been gone for days, we’ve all been so worried!” she replied, unsure as to why he didn’t understand.</p><p>“Gone? I only just woke up here,” said Damon, wondering whether she’d hit her head and was confused. “Are you okay, Otti?” he asked, genuinely concerned for her.</p><p>“It’s okay, Dad,” she continued, ignoring him. “Hope located Kai, they’ll come and get us soon,”</p><p>Damon shook his head, utterly perplexed, and completely oblivious to the fact that both he and Otti were trapped in Kai’s dream world.</p>
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<a name="section0057"><h2>57. Chapter 57</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why won’t she wake up?” cried Stefan, desperately clutching his niece to his body, willing her to open her eyes. She’d never been unconscious this long after doing a spell before, and she was starting to frighten him.</p><p>Elijah shook his head as Hope held the smaller girl’s hands, trying to use her magic to detect any problem. “It’s like she’s sleeping,” she said after a few moments. “She’s okay, but she’s asleep, and I don’t understand why she won’t wake.”</p><p>Caroline moved forwards, taking charge of the situation and prising Ottilie’s body from Stefan’s arms. “You need to go and find Damon,” she instructed firmly. “I’ll stay with Ottilie in case she wakes up or needs help.”</p><p>Stefan nodded reluctantly before releasing his hold on his niece and allowing Caroline to take her gently upstairs to her bedroom.</p><p>“What’s the plan?” asked Kol, a smirk starting to cover his face at the thought of potentially beating someone up.</p><p>Klaus smiled at his younger brother’s enthusiasm. “Well little brother, I think we go to where Hope says Damon is, and we see who’s keeping there and have a little chat. What do you reckon?”</p><p>Kol grinned, nodding before he turned to leave the house to head for the car the Mikaelsons had arrived in.</p><p>“We will follow you,” called Lexi as she and Stefan exited the same way, climbing into Stefan’s Porsche after having grabbed some blood bags and cooler, just in case.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kai cursed under his breath, running to the window and looking out, scanning the bleak surroundings for any sign of intruders. Turning back to Damon, he muttered the spell and Damon’s eyes snapped open, his chest heaving as he took in his surroundings, once again confused at his lack of memory of how he’d gotten there. He was left only with the nightmares that he’d been living through.</p><p>“Kai?” he gasped in shock, taking in the figure of the syphoner he believed to be dead.</p><p>“Yes, I’m alive, blah blah, we’ve been through this already, Damon,” Kai snapped at him, ignoring Damon’s confused look. “Your witchy friends somehow got through my blocking spell and are on their way. I’ve gotta go, but I just wanted to leave you with a little parting gift until we see each other again.”</p><p>He smiled sadistically and walked to Damon who unwittingly flinched away from him, expecting pain. Kai touched Damon’s forehead gently, closing his eyes as he did so before stepping back with a triumphant grin. “There we go, Salvatore,” he hissed. “Now and then, when you shut your eyes to sleep, you will relive those nightmares, and you’ll never know what night they’re going to come. Enjoy…”</p><p>Damon began to tremble as the fear and horror he’d lived through in the those nightmares began to wash over him as the memories came back – everyone he loved – dead, and he unable to save them, left alone for all eternity. It’s just a dream… he tried to reason with himself, trying to push down the rising panic he felt as his eyes began to close – Kai’s parting gift being a sleeping spell.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The cars sped off in whatever direction Hope was instructing them, and before long, they pulled up outside a tiny cottage at the end of a very long road. Stefan’s phone rang and he looked at the caller ID before answering it.</p><p>“Caroline…”</p><p>“She’s awake, Stefan,” his girlfriend interrupted him, knowing that he’d want to know as soon as possible, and heard a sigh of relief come from him.</p><p>“Is she okay?”</p><p>“Yeah, she said that she felt like she was sleeping, and that she had a dream that she was in a forest and saw Damon.”</p><p>“Huh? Weird…”</p><p>“I know, right? Just hurry up and find him, she’s really worried about him.”</p><p>“Sure, I’ll be home soon.”</p><p>Hanging up, he climbed out of the parked car to tell the others that Ottilie was fine and they surveyed the situation, noting that they couldn’t hear or see anyone else around. Walking slowly towards the house, the smell of blood suddenly hit them, and Stefan had to fight to control his urges.</p><p>Klaus opened the door slowly and they made their way inside, splitting up into smaller groups to cover more area. The Mikaelson brothers and Bonnie went upstairs, whilst Hope, Rebekkah, Lexi and Stefan searched the ground floor.</p><p>“Oh my God, Damon!”</p><p>Stefan heard Lexi’s cry of dismay and rushed to the room, followed closely by the Mikaelsons, where he saw his brother tied up from the ceiling with ropes, a disturbingly large pool of blood collected beneath him. He ran over to Damon and tried to undo the ropes, hissing in pain as the vervain stung his skin. He fought through it, and was joined by Lexi as they pulled the ropes from Damon’s wrists and ankles.</p><p>Once freed, Stefan had to quickly catch him as his brother fell lifelessly towards the floor, his body limp and more cold than usual. Lexi watched in horror as Stefan knelt by his brother, taking in the huge, unhealed wounds covering his bare chest and abdomen.</p><p>“He’s almost been bled dry,” muttered Stefan, grimacing at the grey tinge to his brother’s skin. “Lexi, can you get the blood bags?”</p><p>She nodded and sped off to the car to retrieve them, unable to get the image of Damon from her mind.</p><p>Once she’d arrived back, she was presented with an even more frightening sight – Damon, still lying on the ground, was now hyperventilating, twitching as if he caught in a bad dream.</p><p>Stefan motioned at her to bring the blood bag. “Quick!” he called, before grabbing it from her, tearing it open and dripping the contents into Damon’s mouth. They all waited expectantly for Damon to swallow, and collectively breathed a sigh of relief as he did so, watching as his wounds began to finally knit together.</p><p>“He’s been spelled to sleep,” announced Hope, her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to undo the magic. “I think I’ve undone it – he should wake up soon.”</p><p>Stefan nodded gratefully, and opened the second bag of blood, once again dripping it into Damon’s mouth and smiling slightly as he noticed the grey tinge beginning to lessen.</p><p>Damon’s eyes shot open and he looked around wildly before trying to sit up. “Lexi, Stefan, you’re alive?!” he whispered in shock, his eyes starting to fill with tears of relief.</p><p>Lexi quickly put a small hand to his bare chest and pushed him gently back to the floor. “Careful, sweetie,” she said softly, “you’ve lost a lot of blood. Just rest a while, okay?”</p><p>He nodded slightly, relaxing a little and looking around at the concerned faces around him.</p><p>“What happened?” asked Stefan, handing Damon the near-empty blood bag to finish whilst he readied a third.</p><p>“Kai,” said Damon, focusing on replenishing his blood.</p><p>They looked at him, stunned.</p><p>“But Kai’s…”</p><p>“Not dead” affirmed Damon, simply.</p><p>“Damn…” breathed Klaus, “that bastard is as hard to kill as I am…”</p><p>“And if he’s still alive, he’s still working with Marcel, which means that Ottilie is still in danger…” said Stefan, hesitantly, not wanting to scare Damon and wincing as once again, Damon tried to sit up at the mention of his daughter.</p><p>“Ottilie,” Damon said, his voice strained with worry. “Is she okay? She died – you and Lexi both died, but now you’re okay. Is she alive?”</p><p>“She’s fine, brother,” replied Stefan, quietly, placing his jacket around Damon’s bare shoulders. “She’s at home. Shall we go and see her?” He decided not to press what Damon said about him dying, not wanting to upset him further. He’ll tell me later, he thought as he guided Damon to his feet and helped his wobbly, weakened brother to his car.</p>
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<a name="section0058"><h2>58. Chapter 58</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No one could stop Damon running from the car into the boarding house in his desperate mission to see whether his daughter was alive, despite the fact that he could barely stand unaided. It would have been comical watching him stagger through the front door if not for the circumstance.</p><p>“Ottilie!” he shouted into the dimly lit room, unable to go any further as he sunk to his knees in exhaustion.</p><p>“Dad?”</p><p>His head shot up as he heard the little cry from another room, and the sound of footsteps getting increasingly loud as she ran to him, launching herself into his arms where he’d collapsed on the floor. He took her into his arms, holding her tightly to him, breathing in the smell of her hair, relishing the sound of her heartbeat.</p><p>“You died” he sobbed quietly, his voice muffled as he cried into her shoulder, holding her like she was about to ripped from him. “You all died, -Stefan and Lexi too - I felt you go,”</p><p>“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she soothed, repeating it like a mantra as she softly stroked his head, just as he used to in order to comfort her.</p><p>“You died, every time, and I tried to save you but you kept slipping away in my arms,”</p><p>The other supernaturals who had gathered in the room, quietly left, unable or unwilling to witness the heart-breaking scene before them. It felt to them like they were imposing on something sacred, something pure, and that they shouldn’t be there.</p><p>“It’s okay, Daddy,” whispered Ottilie, “I’m here, Stefan and Lexi are here, and we are all okay. Whatever you saw, it wasn’t the truth – Kai was trying to hurt you. We are all fine.”</p><p>“Don’t ever leave me, sweetheart,” replied Damon, kissing her forehead gently before wiping his eyes, exhaustion and heartbreak evident on his pale face.</p><p>“I promise,” she said, holding his hands tightly in her own small ones.</p><p> </p><p>They heard someone clearing their throat and turned from where they still sat on the floor to see Stefan and Lexi, each holding a few blood bags.</p><p>“Sorry to interrupt, but you need to replenish all the blood that you lost,” said Stefan, throwing a bag to Damon who only just caught it, his reflexes diminished by being bled.</p><p>Ottilie looked at him in horror, “you’re hurt?” she gasped, looking him over for injuries but finding none.</p><p>“Kai almost bled him dry,” explained Lexi, seeing the girl’s confused look. “He’s had some blood to heal wounds but now he just needs more to regain his strength.”</p><p>Damon smiled reassuringly at his little girl. “It’ll take more than a few cuts to kill off your old man,” he teased, ruffling his hair before biting sipping the bag, sighing in relief as he felt his strength begin to return to him, albeit slowly.</p><p> </p><p>“So I guess Kai isn’t dead,” said Caroline, suddenly appearing at the door, having been filled in by the Mikaelsons who by now, Damon assumed, would be having a good look through his bourbon collection.</p><p>“Nope,” replied Damon, popping the ‘p’ as he finished off his third bag since arriving back at the boarding house. “Nope, lovely Kai is very, very much alive.”</p><p>“What do we do?” cried Caroline, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation before flopping onto the sofa.</p><p>“I guess next time I kill him, I’ve just got to make double sure he’s dead…” mocked Damon, his sarcasm returning with his strength.</p><p>“Not helpful, Damon…” sighed Stefan, rolling his eyes at this brother, although he was secretly pleased that he seemed to be back to his normal ways again.</p><p>“Well, Kai knows your alive, Damon, which means that he must know that the rest of us are alive despite being bitten by Marcel. Surely that means that Marcel now knows that Otti can heal his bite?” said Lexi, turning her head to one side as she tried to figure it all out.</p><p>Stefan nodded, “yup, although I don’t know yet if that’s a good or bad thing”</p><p>“It means that Marcel is going to have to try another method of getting to Ottilie,” said Elijah, suddenly walking into the room, making the others turn to look at him. “He knows that she doesn’t need him for a cure, so he’s going to have to come up with another way of luring her to him, or kidnapping her.”</p><p>“None of us are safe,” added Klaus, “but especially Ottilie.”</p><p>Everyone looked over to the little girl as she sighed heavily, the weight of the world seemingly on her shoulders. “Don’t you think it would be best if I just go and see Marcel and get this over with?”</p><p>Damon jerked in shock, as if he’d just been slapped. “Um, no, no, and how about, no?!” He exclaimed, looking around for support from his friends, his displeasure evident on his face as he looked at his daughter. “How could you even think such a thing?!” he demanded, noticing that her own face was starting to show some annoyance at his reaction.</p><p>“Well because Marcel wanting me is putting all of you in danger!” retorted Ottilie, gesturing around the room. “Why should I put you in harms way?”</p><p>Damon was lost for words, his mouth opening and closing gormlessly as he searched for response with little success. Stefan took over, trying to reason with his niece.</p><p>“It’s not right that you should be in danger either, Otti,” he tried, “and if we can protect you, then we will.”</p><p>“But you can’t,” said Ottilie, bluntly, wincing as she saw the hurt flash over his eyes. “I’m sorry, Stefan, but you can’t – every time you try, you end up almost dying, and I couldn’t live with myself if you did because of me.”</p><p>Nobody seemed to have a response to that, and an awkward silence fell over the room as they all waited for someone to break it.</p><p>“Well it seems that we have met a stalemate,” said Klaus, clearing his throat and smirking slightly. “Where do we go from here?”</p><p>“I believe that we continue on the same route as before,” suggested Elijah. “Those who are happy to protect Miss Ottilie remain doing so, and Miss Otti must continue with her training to arm herself as best she can.”</p><p>Ottilie sighed in defeat, knowing that nothing she could say would make them change their minds about trying to protect her, and even if she were to try and sneak out to go to Marcel herself, Damon and Stefan were sure to be on her case for the foreseeable future, making sure that she was always where she was meant to be. All she could do was keep training her magic so that when she finally got the chance, she’d be able to defeat Marcel and Kai once and for all.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The weeks turned into months and nobody heard or saw anything that might suggest that Marcel and Kai were looking for Ottilie. Despite this, everyone remained on the highest alert, waiting for the attack that never seemed to come.</p><p>It was a sunny day when Ottilie accompanied Damon and Alaric into the woods for yet another training session, already squinting in the hot sun. She huffed grumpily, grumbling to herself that Damon, being a supernatural being, wouldn’t be aware of the heat, and human Alaric simply wouldn’t care. The walk alone was tiring and she was irritable as they arrived in the place that Alaric had pinpointed for their session.</p><p>“Your magic might not always be enough,” Alaric was explaining, his voice filtering through one of her ears and out of the other. “It’s important that you can hold your own physically too – we don’t know what Marcel is going to throw at you so you need to be prepared for whatever comes your way, defending or attacking.”</p><p>They had stopped and put their bags down, and Ottilie took a long drink from her water bottle, pleased that at the very least, she was dressed for the weather, in her leggings and t shirt. Getting into a ready stance, she faced Ric, waiting for the physical onslaught that she knew was to come, although she was certain that he would never purposefully put her in serious danger.</p><p>They began, Ric attacking and Ottilie defending, their steps like that of an intricate dance, Ottilie trying her hardest to remember everything Ric and Damon had taught her so far. Damon refused to spar with her, adamant that he would demonstrate only with Ric in case he couldn’t keep his strength in check and might hurt her properly, despite Ottilie arguing that she might perform better under that pressure, and that surely that would be a better example of what it might be like.</p><p>“Good,” said Alaric, stepping back and nodding with satisfaction as he looked over his young prodigy, who looked just about ready to collapse with exhaustion. “This new ICD heart thing is good, hey? You can go all out for much longer!”</p><p>Ottilie nodded, smiling smugly as the sweat dripped from her forehead, “yep, no excuses now!” They laughed and took a short break before starting up again.</p><p>This time, Ottilie was attacking and Alaric was defending her advances, blocking each blow as it came, frowning as she felt that his moves were becoming a little firmer, but perhaps she was just getting tired.</p><p> </p><p>“I need a break,” she gasped, sitting down abruptly just as Ric’s arm, his hand balled into a fist, flew across were her head had been.</p><p>“Woah, Ric!” said Damon, walking forwards to them, frowning, “calm down, buddy! You could have done some damage there!”</p><p>Alaric, his eyebrows furrowed in what seemed to be confusion, took a step back, looking at his hands as if they weren’t his own. Shaking himself off, as if shaking away a spell, he smiled apologetically at Ottilie, who was looking up at him from the floor.</p><p>“Sorry, Otts,” he said, “think I got a little carried away there!”</p><p>She shrugged, accepting the hand he offered to pull her up, and sighed as she readied herself for another round.</p><p>Only a few minutes later, Ottilie noticed a shift in Alaric’s demeanour as a determined look came over his face, and he began to counter her attacks with more force, pushing her back with each one.</p><p>Damon watched as, almost as if in slow motion, Alaric suddenly wrapped his arm around his daughter’s neck and pulled her back against his chest, holding her tightly, her frail life entirely in his hands.</p><p>“Ric…” began Damon, walking cautiously up to them, utterly confused by his best friend’s actions.</p><p>“Don’t come closer,” warned Ric, fishing into his pocket and bringing out a knife he’d stashed there.</p><p>“Ric, don’t do anything stupid,” warned Damon, trying to keep his voice free from the panic he was feeling, his gazing shifting from his daughter’s pale, terrified face to Ric’s grim, determined one, before noticing the glazed look in his eyes. “Are you on vervain?”</p><p>Ric smiled, the evil grin spreading across his face as he watched realisation etch it’s way across Damon’s.</p><p>“Us humans are just so accessible, you know,” he sneered, “I have a message for you, from Marcel.”</p><p>Damon froze, watching the fear wash over Ottilie’s face, in what he was sure was an exact mirror of his own, too anxious to make a move in case Ric hurt her.</p><p>“He’s watching us, he’s watching us all. He sees Ottilie training, working on her magic, and he’s happy to let it happen because in the end, it will just make her more useful.”</p><p>Damon couldn’t help but shudder as the words tumbled from his friend’s mouth, as emotionless as if he were reading from a script.</p><p>“He said he’s going to be generous. You have until Ottilie turns 17, at which point, she will be at her strongest, and she must go to him. She must work on her magic and unlock the true extent of her power as the witches describe to him, or he will come sooner for her and force it from her himself.”</p><p>Alaric held the blade of the knife to Ottilie’s stomach, smiling nastily.</p><p>“Of course, if you’d rather just get it all over with and have her leave you now…But you won’t let that happen, will you? Oh Damon, how he loves watching you suffer…”</p><p>He plunged the knife into Ottilie’s body, and theatrically stepped back, his hands in the air as he let her slump to the floor, the blood already flowing from the stab wound.</p><p>“NO!” shouted Damon, running towards them, hitting Alaric so hard that he was knocked out cold in an instant, before falling to Ottilie’s side, applying pressure to the deep cut on her stomach.</p><p>“You’ll be okay, Otti,” he soothed, trying to reassure himself as much as her. “You’ll be okay, just stay with me, sweetheart. I’ll get you to the hospital, they’ll make you better.”</p><p>She smiled up at him, almost sympathetically, and he knew that she knew that she wouldn’t make it to a hospital at the rate she was bleeding out. Her eyes began to flutter closed and he panicked.</p><p>“Otti, no! Stay awake, keep your eyes open!”</p><p>He could feel her slipping away, just like she had in the nightmares that Kai had made him live through each night of his captivity, just like the reoccurring nightmares that plagued his nights even now. He looked around in vain for any help, knowing ultimately what it was he must do. She was stronger now, he reasoned, and her heart condition was under control, so if he could just keep her safe for the next 24 hours…</p><p>Without another thought, he tore into his wrist and held it, blood dripping, to her mouth, watching with baited breath as a few drops fell into it.</p><p>“Come on, Otti,” he muttered, more to himself than her. He watched in anticipation as the stab wound began to knit back together, and he sighed in relief as he heard her weak pulse start to strengthen as she healed.</p><p>“You’re alright, little lady,” he whispered, gathering her unconscious body into his arms and holding her tight whilst fishing for his phone to call Stefan.</p><p>“Hello?” Stefan answered, wondering what trouble Damon had gotten himself into this time.</p><p>“Stefan, I need you to come to get Ric. You know where we are?”</p><p>“Yeah, what’s up?”</p><p>“Someone got to him, compelled him to attack Otti,”</p><p>“Crap, is she okay?”</p><p>“Yeah, she will be.”</p><p>“Okay brother, I’m on my way.”</p>
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<a name="section0059"><h2>59. Chapter 59</h2></a>
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    <p>"What the hell, Damon? Did you have to hit him that hard?!" Jo glared angrily at Damon, her hands on her hips. Alaric started to stir from his position on the sofa, an ugly bruise starting to form on his temple.</p><p>"Yeah, he did," groaned Ric before Damon could answer, moving to sit up, scrunching his face in pain. "I could have hurt Ottilie."</p><p>Damon frowned before walking over to sit next to his friend, helping him to a seated position.</p><p>"Sorry buddy," he said, before biting into his wrist and letting some of his blood pour into the glass of bourbon he was holding. Alaric took it gratefully and sipped at it, feeling the throbbing in his head begin to ease.</p><p>"Is she okay?" he asked, scared to hear the answer.</p><p>"Yeah, I healed her as soon as I'd knocked you out," smirked Damon, "she's still asleep upstairs."</p><p>"I'm so sorry, I don't even remember being compelled. God, I could have killed her..." Alaric shook his head in dismay. "What if you hadn't been there?"</p><p>"I think Marcel wanted me to be there, to see how much control he has." Damon sighed, frustrated that the ball was no longer in his court, and that Marcel seemed to know everything.</p><p>"What do we do now?"</p><p>"Well Marcel's message was that as long as Ottilie keeps working on her magic, she will be safe until her 17th birthday. He seems to think that that's when she'll be at her strongest, and he'll come for her then to make his army."</p><p>"You'll let her go?"</p><p>Damon scoffed. "Obviously not, Ric. But by then, she'll be stronger than ever, and maybe we can finally defeat him."</p><p>Alaric nodded before letting his head rest back against the sofa, tiredness pricking at his eyes.</p><p>"I'll let you rest," said Damon, standing to leave, thinking he'd go and check on Ottilie to make sure, for the tenth time, that she was fully healed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They were all sat around in the Mikaelson mansion, once again summoned for a meeting about Marcel. Damon explained what had happened with Ric, and the message that Marcel had delivered through him.</p><p>Elijah spoke first, looking pleased with himself as he announced his latest findings. "As Damon said, Marcel seems to think that Ottilie will be at her strongest when she is 17. I finally heard from a witch I've been tracking for some time who is rumoured to know a lot about Adfectus Witches', and he's confirmed that they are indeed at their strongest from the age of 17 onwards. Marcel's information is correct in this instance. I wonder if he too has only just heard from this witch, and that is why he's made the decisions that he has."</p><p>"So she has 3 years of freedom from Marcel before he tries to get to her again, and then what?" asked Caroline, frowning.</p><p>"Then Ottilie will get rid of him once and for all – if she's at her strongest then, it shouldn't be a problem," answered Damon, smiling down at his daughter who was sat beside Rebekkah, not saying a word.</p><p>"She'll keep on training in her magic and also physical training with Ric," he continued, looking around at the hesitantly approving faces of his friends. "And when the time comes, Otti will be ready, and so will we, to finally defeat Marcel."</p><p>"I'll drink to that!" smiled Klaus, holding up his glass as the rest of the group followed suit.</p><p>Ottilie smiled a little so as not to cause suspicion, but inside, she knew that nothing had really changed. Sure, she had a few more years of Marcel-free time to enjoy, and to have as normal a life as possible, but ultimately, she still had to die to defeat him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Damon drove Stefan, Otti, Lexi and Caroline back to the mansion, relishing the feel of the sun on his face, and thankful that his ring allowed him to enjoy it. He felt relieved, lighter than he had in months. Ottilie was going to be fine for the next few years, then just one battle, and all would be fine again.</p><p>"Lexi," he called as she walked from the car to the house, stopping as she heard him call her. She waited for him to catch up with him, slipping her small hand into his and smiling at him.</p><p>"Lexi, do you want to go away for the weekend? I have a lake house not too far – just the two of us?"</p><p>She nodded readily, excited at the prospect of having Damon all to herself with no distractions for the entire weekend. "Absolutely, when do we go?"</p><p>"I'll just check that someone can watch Otti, but I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem. Go and pack, gorgeous, we'll go tonight."</p><p>She smiled prettily and sped off to the room she now shared with him to get a small bag together.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Less than an hour later and she and Damon were speeding away in his blue camero. Stefan had readily agreed to watch Ottilie for the weekend, and was pleased that his brother was obviously feeling relaxed enough to leave her under the care of someone other than himself. God knows, it's taken him long enough, he thought to himself.</p><p>The drive wasn't long, but Lexi soon fell asleep, lulled by the gentle purr of the engine and the soothing hand she felt on her thigh.</p><p>"Sweetheart, we're here," Damon woke her gently, pushing a strand of golden hair from her face and smiling adoringly at her. "Welcome to the lakehouse," he said, gesturing at the quaint, perfect little building next to a lake so serenely beautiful that Lexi wasn't convinced it was real.</p><p>"Wow," she gasped, "you know, you never told me you have a lake house?"</p><p>"There's lots you don't know about me, Lexi," Damon smirked, and Lexi felt her stomach do the now familiar flips as she fell, once again, head over heels for him. "Would you care to learn some more?"</p><p>He jumped from the car, grabbed their bags and sped into the house, returning only a moment later on Lexi's side of the car. Opening her door, he lifted her gently, placing a kiss on her head, and carried her bridal style into the house, straight up to one of the bedrooms. She'll learn a lot more about me tonight, he mused, his excitement beginning to grow.</p><p>
  <b>A short one, I know, but it's just a filler chapter for more exciting things to come. The real question is, would you like to know what goes on in that lakehouse?... What will Lexi learn about Damon? Thanks for reading, please leave comments and reviews etc – always eager to improve! SEG21 x </b>
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<a name="section0060"><h2>60. Chapter 60</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Warning: contains smut/sexual content</b>
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<p>Lexi felt as though she were flying as Damon carried her up the wooden stairs of the lake house, taking her effortlessly up to the master bedroom of the property. He'd called ahead to the local lady who he paid to keep the house and made sure that the bed was made up, and sure enough, the room was impeccable.</p>
<p>Laying Lexi gently on the bed, he paused for a moment to take in and appreciate the fact that they were both there together, and that he had the whole weekend ahead with the most beautiful woman, both inside and out, that he'd ever had the fortune to meet.</p>
<p>"Whats wrong?" Whispered Lexi, wondering why Damon was seemingly just staring at her.</p>
<p>He smiled, the little lines around his eyes that she felt she knew from memory now creasing handsomely.</p>
<p>"Absolutely nothing is wrong, sweetheart," he said, leaning down to kiss her gently. "I'm just so thankful to be here with you."</p>
<p>Lexi felt herself blushing at this unusual display of gentle affection; Damon's demonstrations of love were normally passionate, exciting and physical. Perhaps there was more to Damon for her to learn about, and the thought of that made her stomach do little flips of excitement.</p>
<p>He knelt on the floor in front of her, and began to gently unbuckle her sandals, placing them neatly by the door. Once again, the unusual, tender  show of love exited her, and her mind began to race.</p>
<p>Before she could even begin to imagine what other hidden sides to Damon there could possibly be, he was kissing her, slowly and longingly, holding himself above her on his forearms so that their bodies were close, but not quite touching.</p>
<p>He ran his fingers through her golden hair, marvelling at its smoothness, its shine, how soft it was, before stroking her right cheekbone softly with his thumb. He was looking so intensely into her eyes that she felt as though he was staring into her soul with his piercing blue gaze.</p>
<p>"I love you, Lexi," he murmered softly, the words tumbling effortlessly from his perfect lips, and she felt her heart melt.</p>
<p>"I love you too, Damon."</p>
<p>He kissed her again, more passionately this time, relishing the softness of her lips, the occasional little gasp of pleasure she emitted as he caught her off guard with a gentle bite on them. He allowed his hands to roam over her upper body, enjoying the sensation of her exploring his at the same time.</p>
<p>Pulling away from her reluctantly, he started to slowly undo the buttons of her blouse, gently caressing the soft skin beneath it. He watched her carefully for any indication that she didn't want him to continue.</p>
<p>"Is this okay?" He asked, wanting to be sure.</p>
<p>She nodded, her cheeks flushed with desire and excitement and smiled at her, thrilled at the effect he seemed to he having.</p>
<p>"I'm going to show you a different side to me, Lexi," he said, his voice husky with arousal and she almost shuddered in anticipation.</p>
<p>Continuing with her blouse, he gently eased it from her shoulders before leaning in to kiss her again. "So beautiful..." he mumered, before reaching behind her to unclaspe her lace bra, taking in a shaky breath as he removed it. He'd seen her like this before, countless times in fact, but she never ceased to amaze him.</p>
<p>He gently placed his hands on her breasts, massaging them, tweaking her nipples with his fingers as she gasped in pleasure. Leaning down, he took her left nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue over its sensitive top and nipping it ever so gently with his teeth, loving the reaction it was getting from his girlfriend.</p>
<p>Lexi was doing her best to undo the buttons on Damon's shirt, looking in awe at the smooth, defined body beneath it, running her hands over the honed muscles and soft skin.</p>
<p>He reached down to her skirt and undid the zip before pulling it gently down her hips and legs until it fell loosely around her ankles, settling eventually on the floor.</p>
<p>Damon stood up suddenly and she almost groaned at the lack of touch and closeness she now felt. He quickly removed his jeans and socks and resumed his position, his attention focused solely on Lexi's body.</p>
<p>After a few moments, his focus began to shift downwards, his trail of kisses leading from her breasts down her chest, along her stomach before he settled just above where she was craving him to be the most. She whined in frustration as she felt him still, before his fingers looped over the top of her underwear and began to gently pull it down.</p>
<p>Discarding it on the floor, Damon turned his attention to her lower body, kissing the inside of her thighs, stopping just short of where she needed him. "Do you want me, baby?" He whispered, already knowing what her answer would be.</p>
<p>"Yes, please..." she moaned, trying to get the friction she desired.</p>
<p>He slowly inserted his finger into her, noticing how slick and wet she was, ready and desperate for him. She sighed in relief as she felt him enter her. He began to pump his finger in and out of her, enjoying the little sighs of pleasure until he felt she was ready for more. Slipping in another finger, she gasped loudly as the curling motion he was doing ground against her G spot.</p>
<p>"Damon..." her voice was breathy with desire and longing, and all he wanted to do in that moment was give her everything she wanted.</p>
<p>He moved his lips from her breasts to join his fingers, using his tongue to tease her, noting the moans of approval.</p>
<p>Lexi could feel the tension building within her, her lower stomach clenching in anticipation.</p>
<p>"I'm so close," she gasped, to which Damon continued his movements, more firmly now, increasing her pleasure beyond that which she thought possible.</p>
<p>"Cum for me, baby," he whispered, loving the feel of her fingers entwined in his hair, pulling him closer to her.</p>
<p>She let go and allowed the powerful wave of her orgasm to wash over her, crying out as it did so. Damon kept his fingers moving inside her, prolonging her pleasure, his own arousal increasing as he felt his girlfriend orgasm.</p>
<p>Lexi lay back, gasping as her climax subsided, the pleasure still washing over. Gently removing his fingers and pulling down his pants,  Damon looked up at her flushed face, thinking how utterly beautiful she looked.</p>
<p>"Wow," Lexi breathed, her chest heaving as she got her breath back. "That was amazing."</p>
<p>Damon smirked, "I told you there was more to learn about me. Sometimes, I like to take it slow and focus all... on..."</p>
<p>He aligned himself with her entrance, knowing intuitively that she was ready and desperate for him.</p>
<p>"...you"</p>
<p>He pushed slowly into her, eliciting a cry of pleasure as she quickly adjusted to him, relishing the feeling of him stretching and filling her.</p>
<p>"Oh Damon," she gasped, "so good..."</p>
<p>He lay still for a second, enjoying the feeling of their connection, their two bodies joined in the most natural, loving way.</p>
<p>He kissed her forehead adoring, and staring deeply into her eyes, began to move, tortuously slowly, gasping at the sensation of her tight around him.</p>
<p>"I'm going to make love to you, Lexi Branson."</p>
<p>His movements were tender and slow, yet firm and powerful, hitting her in places she'd never felt him before. She was unable to speak, such was the pleasure she was feeling, able only to moan and gasp his name every now and again.</p>
<p>He reached a hand down to her clitoris and began to tease it between strokes, feeling her squeeze around him in pleasured response.</p>
<p>They'd had sex before, but never like this. Sex with Damon was fast, rough and lustful. This was different - it was romantic, passionate, adoring - a whole different side to him that she had never seen before.</p>
<p>God she hoped she would see it again.</p>
<p>Damon was moaning too now, his own climax starting to build as he felt her clench around him in response to his movements.</p>
<p>"Is this okay, Lexi?" He asked, gently kissing her lips as he thrust firmly into her yet again.</p>
<p>"Yes," she gasped. "I'm so close, Damon"</p>
<p>"Me too, baby"</p>
<p>He began to thrust faster, his strokes more powerful, yet still so tender, Lexi felt herself getting to the point of no return.</p>
<p>"Damon!" She cried, cumming forcefully around him, tipping him over the edge.</p>
<p>He moaned her name, releasing deep inside her, panting as the waves of his orgasm rushed over him again and again.</p>
<p>They stayed like that for a few moments, both of them panting to get their breath back, feeling the little aftershocks of their orgasms.</p>
<p>"God I love you," Damon whispered, pushing a stray lock of golden hair from her face and kissing her adoringly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0061"><h2>61. Chapter 61</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was that day of the year that Damon always tried to keep Ottilie busy for, and preferably free of Mystic Falls. He wasn't sure what thoughts or grudges that the young girl harboured against Elena, but he knew that as a young child, Ottilie had been terrified of her. In a bid to avoid seeing her like that, perhaps more for himself than for her, Damon made sure to take her out of the town on the one day of the year that Stefan's compulsion allowed Elena to come back to visit any family and friends who still wished to see her after the event that led to her banishment.</p><p>"Where are you taking her today?" Asked Stefan, breaking his brother out of his contemplative state. Damon sighed, knowing that this day was not at all easy for Stefan either, as Elena had once been the love of his life before she attacked Ottilie.</p><p>"Probably just for a walk and picnic or something - essentially somewhere she won't be."</p><p>Stefan nodded, knowing who his brother was eluding to.</p><p>"Will you go out today or will you see her?"</p><p>"Caroline wants to avoid her so we're going out; she's not forgiven her yet for what she did."</p><p>Damon wouldn't let his brother avoid his question.</p><p>"And you? Have you forgiven her?"</p><p>"No, I don't think so," Stefan looked sad, and Damon wondered for a moment about just how human his little brother really was, feeling all this emotions. "She almost killed Otti, I don't think I can ever forgive that, no matter how much I once loved her. And now, now I'm with Care and I'm so, so happy. I really love her, Damon."</p><p>Damon chuckled and clapped his brother on the back. Once he would have teased him mercilessly, he thought, but now he knew exactly how Stefan felt.</p><p> </p><p>A couple of hours later, spurred on by Elena's imminent arrival at her house to visit Jeremy, and the inevitably of accidently bumping into her in such a small town, Damon, Lexi and Ottilie were crammed into Damon's camero and were speeding off to the beach at a nearby lake to have a picnic.</p><p>Ottilie was chatting excitedly to Lexi from the back seat about what she'd packed for their lunch. Damon and Stefan had been teaching her to cook and she was excited to show off the fruits of new skills, all neatly packed into containers in a vintage picnic basket that Damon had dug out of the attic for her, much to her delight.</p><p>Arriving at the beach, Damon let out a groan as he saw the amount of people on it, all enjoying the first sunny day in ages.</p><p>"I swear there never used to be this many humans..." he grumbled.</p><p>"Cheer up," said Lexi, "no need to sound like such an old man..."</p><p>She winked at Ottilie before she grabbed her beach towel and ran to find a spare spot, leaving Damon glaring and Ottilie giggling in her wake.</p><p>"Who's she calling old?!" Exclaimed Damon, handing Ottilie her towel and taking his own and the picnic basket from the boot of his car. "Come on you," he said, ruffling her hair and setting off towards where Lexi was setting down her towel.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"This is amazing," announced Lexi, voicing all of their thoughts as they basked in the sunlight, relishing the warmth.</p><p>"Have you got enough suncream on?" Damon asked Ottilie, obviously not quite relaxed enough to stop his parental worrying.</p><p>"Yes, dad," sighed Ottilie, rolling her eyes at Lexi and giggling.</p><p>"Hey, not fair!" Argued Damon, sitting up to look at them. "You can't both gang up on me!"</p><p>"Sorry sweetie," shrugged Lexi, who, not looking at all apologetic, snuck a grin at Ottilie.</p><p>Just then, both of the vampires ears pricked up, picking up on a sound audible only to their acute hearing.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Asked Ottilie, immediately picking up on the change in their demeanor.</p><p>"There's a child... crying for help!" Lexi was looking at Damon, worry clear across his face.</p><p>"I think they're in the water," he confirmed, as he and Lexi stood up, ready to try and help.</p><p>"You think someone's drowning?!" Gasped Ottilie in alarm.</p><p>Without giving her an answer, Lexi and Damon left as quickly as they could without arousing suspicion amongst the beach goers who densely populated the sand. Ottilie ran to keep up with them, losing them for a second in the myriad of people, before spotting them close to the water's edge, their eyes scanning the water for signs of a child in distress.</p><p>Noting his daughter standing next to him, Damon sighed in frustration.</p><p>"You stay right here, little lady, I do not want to have to rescue you too, understand?"</p><p>She shook her head. "But Dad, I can help!"</p><p>"Stay here or so help me, I'll..."</p><p>A scream ripped through whatever he was about to say.</p><p>"MY SON, PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP!"</p><p>The distraught cry of the child's mother spurred Damon and Lexi in the water, headed straight for where they could see a small child struggling to stay afloat. It was clearly exhausted, and having swum out too far, was too tired to get back, and was crying for his mother.</p><p>Ottilie hopped from one foot to the other, anxious watching the water for signs of Damon and Lexi returning with the child. After a few terrifying moments, she saw Damon's raven hair breaking through the surface of the water, dragging a little boy back to the beach, supported by Lexi.</p><p>Ottilie ran straight into the water to get to them, looking into Damons face to gather whether he'd been able to save him.</p><p>"We need to get back to shore," Damon said, gruffly, evidently very worried about the young boy in his arms.</p><p>"I can save him," exclaimed Ottilie, already taking hold of the little boy's hands.</p><p>"Otti..."</p><p>She had already closed her eyes and Lexi moved to guide her with them back to the beach as she completed her magic. The boy was already beginning to stir, violently coughing up the water that he'd ingested, his eyes flickering open, searching the faces around him for a familiar one.</p><p>Ottilie's own eyes opened lethargically, and Damon looked worriedly at her.</p><p>"He'll be fine now," she managed to say, concentrating all her strength on getting to shore.</p><p>"Okay, don't you go fainting on me, Otti," Damon instructed, "I can't carry both of you," he added, knowing full well that he could  and would should he have to, but not wanting to give her the option.</p><p>Reaching the beach, Damon set the now recovered boy onto the sand into the waiting arms of his mother. Smiling briefly at her cries of gratitude and the awed murmuring of gathered onlookers, he took Ottilie's shoulders firmly in his hands and led her away as quickly as subtlety would allow, Lexi following them closely. </p><p>Just as they arrived back where their towels were laid out on the sand, Damon felt Ottilie stumble next to him, her knees giving way and hitting the sand.</p><p> </p><p>"Oopsy daisy," he sighed, catching her quickly before the rest of her body hit the ground, and laid her gently on his towel which was the nearest to them, supporting her head gently with his hands. He felt her wrist quickly for a pulse, some relief washing over him as he felt it strong and steady. Alternating between gently patting her cheek and shaking her shoulders slightly, he tried to bring her round, watching as colour began to return slowly to her pale face. </p><p> </p><p>"Alright, sweetheart," he soothed as her eyes fluttered open. "You're alright, I've got you."</p><p> </p><p>She clung tightly to his hands as her world stopped spinning and her vision began to clear. "The little boy, was he okay?" </p><p> </p><p>Lexi appeared next to Damon, gently wiping the small trail of blood from Ottilie's nose with a tissue she had procured from her handbag. "He's fine, sweetie," she smiled, "everything's fine."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave a comment or review? I'm new to writing fanfiction and I'd love your ideas/feedback. Thanks for reading! SEG21 x</p></blockquote></div></div>
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